Day 7
The rain had stopped sometime during the night, and the cloud cover had broken before dawn, leaving the day bright and airy and fresh smelling.
Sadly, only part of that managed to penetrate into the dim, run-down hall; but it was pleasant anyway.
Following his morning routine, the Imp went about his business, and was delighted that his spiderling servant had done a very nice job, even going so far as to catch the bugs that often tried to raid the worms during the night. As a reward, he lets the spiderling eat the catch, as well as a few of the worms that he offers as he also fills his growling belly.
After that, he checks on the spiderlings injuries, and nods in satisfaction that the cracks in its shiny black carapace had sealed up nicely. The spiderling was no longer sickly or weak.
It was time to put his plan into motion!
With a thought, he leads the spiderling to the demon mice nest, and there they start working on their preparations. The mice were only an inch or two shorter than the Imp himself was, and about the same size of the spiderling. The problem was their vast numbers.
Which had increased during the night.
According to his Presence Sensor, there were more than fifty of them flashing in his mind.
That's a great many for only two beings to take on.
But he does something similar as he had done when hunting the spiderlings. He corrals them.
He uses his webbing and that of his servant to create a thick, tall, and very sticky fence in a half-circle around the hole in the wall. He reinforces it on the outside with junk, pieces of stone and other chunks of garbage.
They break for lunch, and the Imp is surprised when watching the spiderling hunt. He had thought that they usually go right after prey, but instead the spiderling spawned a web and then coated it in venom.
It reminds him of when he'd first gotten caught himself.
So that's the trick to the magic web.
After the spiderling had its fill, he had the spiderling drip a goodly amount of its venom into a bowl-shaped piece of broken glass he'd found.
After that, he drinks it. Every last drop.
Due to his ability, Iron Stomach, he doesn't have to worry about getting ill from it; but at the same time there is a touch of worry.
It didn't matter, one way or another. Either between is Consumption or his Poison Resistance, he didn't feel anything wrong, and the venom in fact tasted quite sweet, if thick.
*DING*
+1 Poison Resistance
+1 Venom
+1 Magic Coating
It was a nice bonus, and he quickly pulls up his new status.
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STATUS
Name – Unknown
Age – Unknown
Gender – Male
Level – 2
Class – Overlord (Pre-Up)
STR: 9
DEX: 10
AGI: 8
END: 10
INT: 14
MAG: 13
MAGIC and ABILITIES
Imp Fire – Level 2: A small flicker of imp fire. Can be controlled mentally when cast, similar to fox-fire.
Glowing Eyes – Level 1: By consuming Glow-Worms, a light shines from your eyes, allowing you to see even in utter darkness. Similar to Dark Vision. Range: 2 Meter.
Absolute Command – Level 1: By slaying a monster or beast, you are able to command one such creature absolutely as long as their level is lower than your own.
+ Can command 1 Spiderling.
Overlord's Power – Level 0: ######
Consumption – Level 1: By eating creatures and items, you can gain increased states and abilities and strengthen them with additional consumption.
+ Iron Stomach - The added ability to eat almost anything, including corrosive, poisonous, or corrupted materials.
Flexibility - Level 2: The ability to bend and stretch in ways the body normally doesn't do. Provides a small bonus to speed, reflexes, agility and dexterity. Can be used to wiggle out of tight spaces.
Handycrafts - Level 1: The ability to craft various things. Used in conjunction with crafting skills
+ Sewing - Level 2: The ability to sew clothe and leather objects.
+ Metalworking - Level 1: The ability to craft small metal objects.
+ Carapace Crafting - Level 2: The ability to make items out of the armored carapace of creatures and monsters.
Poison Resistance - Level 4: A natural resistance to the effects of poisoning. Current bonus of 80%.
Carapace Armor - Level 2: The ability to summon a shell-like armor over-top of the skin. Increases armor, defense, and weight.
Presence Sensor - Level 1: The ability to -feel- the presence of other creatures and beings nearby. Range: 10 Meters.
Spiderweb Making - Level 1: The ability to shoot Spiderling web out of your fingers.
+ Web Control - Level 2: The ability to innately control the conditions of the web you produce.
Spider Agility - Level 3: The ability to move on most surfaces, hide and move like a spider. Provides a bonus to speed, dexterity, and agility on uneven surfaces.
Venom - Level 1: The ability to apply venom and poisons to objects you are touching.
Magic Coating - Level 1: The ability to apply a magic coating to objects you are touching. Different types may be applied, but only one at a time at this level.
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Magic Coating especially turned out to be a nice ability, and for a moment he thinks before activating the ability on his robes.
Zing! Like an aura ability, his robes were coated in a thin layer of protective magic. Sadly, it isn't that strong, and it leaves him panting; as if it had used up a great deal of his mana pool.
“Damn... I still need more stats.” He chitters to himself, but he shakes his head and straightens after catching his breath.
Next, he pulls out his weapon, the twisted metal pin. Using his Venom ability, it becomes coated in a dark green, aggressive toxin. He turns it off after a moment and tries another one. This time its thick and black and smells; but it was good to know he could create different types.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
That actually strikes an idea to him, and he gives an evil grin as he rushes off to find some bits. He's quite excited, but he is careful not to get careless; especially when he starts building what had come to mind.
A sling staff. Using what would otherwise be considered a twig and some leather and his silk, he creates a sturdy distance weapon for himself. He loads one of his pouches with bits of rock and tries it out, coating one of the rock 'bullets' in his venom and then casting it. The distance is pretty good, and so is the hitting strength.
Alright! Time to set the final trap!
A mirthless grin spreads across his lips as he returns to where he'd left the spiderling, watching over the demon mice nest.
To draw the prey out, he pulls a grub out of his pouch, and covers it in a rather specific type of poison, before taking aim and carefully casting it into the corral, just short of the entrance.
Within moments the aromatic smell draws the demon mice, and they go after the wiggling worm as if starved. Those that get to it first chew down without a hint of hesitation.
But then they were caught in the poison's effect. Berserker.
They loose all sense of self, and attack their fellows after a few moments, drawing cries and mouse-like screeches from its fellows.
The panic that ensues is rather funny, especially when he starts lobbing his rock missiles from the sling staff with the same venom and then others. Within bare minutes the entire nest is in an uproar.
Many try to escape, only to get coat on the web-fence, and get caught by their enraged kin.
All told, more than one third of them are killed by their fellows before the venom wears off, leaving the berserker weak and confused.
He was about ready to step into the fray when a new creature showed up on his Sensor, and he blinks at how massive (relatively) it is.
For a moment he's simply stunned, before the thing comes out of the mouse nest behind the others. Its a big, almost flaming red mouse with black around its muzzle.
Demon Mouse-Bear! If the Queen Spiderling was the ruler of that demon nest, the Mouse-Bear is the unconditional ruler of this one. And its definitely a higher level monster compared to the others.
It casually flicks away one of its confused kin, and starts nosing about, as if hunting for something.
An idea flickers through his mind, and he pulls out another Glow-Worm, and coats it in the same berserker venom as before.
This time he lobs it to the point beside the Mouse-Bear, and its attention is definitely drawn to the 'offering'.
Like the rest, it doesn't hesitate to chew right down; and no one else bothers to try to rush it either. It takes the full dose.
Its already red fur seems to turn an even brighter, heavier shade, and it lets out a roar that actually manages to echo in the hall, before it pounces one of the dazed mice next to it.
Within moments, there are many new corpses spread around. Every time it hits something, it seems to get stronger, and wilder. It beats on the other mice with its paws and claws, even going so far as to bite off their tails in order to pull them back if they try to retreat.
Its a great amount of carnage.
The Imp grins impishly, if that's even possible, and takes out another stone and coats it in a slow acting, but powerful neuron-toxin. With a careful throw, it his the Mouse-Bear, and it bellows in sudden pain and turns its target to the source.
But the fence is still in the way, and even the Mouse-Bear at full charge cannot break through that easily. It soon gets tangled, but its strength is rather great for a monster its size. Its able to tear itself free in only moments, rushing like an enraged bull right at him.
But he simply raises his hands and sprays out more and more webbing. The monster is able to battle through, but part way to the Imp it starts to twitch, his blood-red eyes suddenly widening as it starts to loose control over its own limbs.
The toxin was finally taking effect. It was the opening he needed.
Pulling out his weapon, he charges right at the Mouse-Bear. But even with it becoming a stationary target, the thing was powerful and its hide was thick. His weapon couldn't hardly pierce it. But that doesn't stop him from beating the monster with every ounce of strength he has.
The spiderling was left to wound up the last of the other demon mice, but wasn't given permission to kill them.
The fight between the Imp and the Mouse-Bear seemed to take forever, but eventually the monster gives a croak of pain and seems to lose its remaining strength in its legs, falling to one side.
The Imp takes this chance and dashes right in, striking the end-point of his weapon into the hollow at the base of the monsters' throat and pushes it deeply until the Mouse-Bear shudders and collapses completely
He'd won! But looking at himself, and then up to the hole in the ceiling, its easy to tell that it hadn't been a fast or assured victory. Even with the planning.
Once more he's battered and bruised and his robes are torn up. After jerking out his weapon, he finds that part of it had broke off as well. Its no longer effective.
Night had also come on. He'd been forced to use his Glowing Eyes ability, although he didn't remember ever activating it consciously.
He doesn't even bother going to his camp, and instead lays out beside a piece of broken stone and is once more asleep within moments.
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