Alexia

I pant in exhaustion as I glare at the large scorpion standing across a large pool of poison from me, the both of us looking worse for wear. My armor is pretty much destroyed around my arms and legs, areas I used to block attacks so as to keep my vitals safe. And my left arm is pretty much crippled at this point from a painful strike of one of its lower body’s claws that cut straight through the remnants of my armor. Meanwhile the scorpion has lost three of its legs at this point and is still trailing a path of poisonous blood everywhere that I have to avoid.

The fight’s become a lot more balanced between the two of us ever since its upper half was removed from play, since now it doesn’t have those two massive claws on its upper half to send blades at me anymore, nor can it make it rain poison. But at the same time, it’s faster. Or rather, it was faster. Until its own stinger’s venom ended up causing such a large toll on it that its speed has plummeted to even slower than it was before losing its upper half.

Despite that though, I can’t waste my soul on more Quantum Bolts right now. Not when I only have a ninth of my total soul left remaining.

We both continue watching the other, just waiting for a sign of weakness for several seconds. But no matter how long I wait, the monster doesn’t show any weakness that I can take advantage of in my current state, making me grit my teeth in both pain and frustration.

There… isn’t any way I can see myself winning this. That thought… I’m not sure how to feel about this.

But… I do know that I can’t leave Astrid alone. I just won’t.

I grit my teeth even harder before trying as hard as I can to think of a way to finish off the scorpion, only for the thing to finally let out a screech and begin charging straight through the poison pond between us towards me. And I still can’t think of anything.

C’mon, there has to be something!

I begin moving backwards while still facing forwards to keep an eye on the scorpion, but the thing is still faster than my injured self despite its missing limbs and poisoned body. Because I’m poisoned too, although to a much lesser extent since I am only poisoned by its own blood while it’s poisoned by its stinger.

In the end, I almost end up tripping into a pool of poison behind me while backing up because my thoughts are too locked on making a plan. Then the scorpion makes it to my side of the other pond.

Shiiiit, there has to be-

My thoughts are interrupted when a bright purple light suddenly begins to shine from my chest. A light that makes both me and the scorpion freeze in place out of surprise. And when I look down, focusing on the light, I find an egg emerging from my chest.

The Elemental Pet!!! I almost forgot about it!

[User’s bonded Elemental Pet Egg has absorbed enough elemental energy and will now hatch. The elemental energy the Egg has absorbed is of the Quantum Element, therefore the Egg will hatch into a Pet of the Quantum Element.]

The bright light grows even brighter, making the scorpion let out a hiss of fear. As if the light for some reason is scaring the thing.

Then a cracking sound echoes through the cavern, followed by another, and another. And soon the Egg hatches to reveal a tiny little bat with glowing purple eyes that match my own and both red and purple veins flowing across its black furred body.

My very first thought upon seeing the little fella is that she – and for some reason I instinctively know it’s a she – is absolutely fucking adorable.

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And my second thought?

Adorable or not, she’s probably not gonna be of much help in this battle.

[User’s bonded Elemental Pet Egg has hatched into an Infantile Quantum Vampire Bat. You have now unlocked your Pet’s Status.]

I immediately open its status to find a rather shocking surprise.

Name: N/A Species: Infantile Quantum Vampire Bat(T1) Level: 84 Class: Elemental Pet Soul: 6250/ 6,250 VIT: 167 DEX: 167 STR: 167 MAG: 333 MEN: 333 Racial Skills Active Skills Passive Skills General Skills

This thing has the same MAG and MEN stats that I have? And it has soul?

My eyes widen as I remember that an Elemental Pet’s class is set to have the same level-up bonuses as its bonded partner, even if its species is a lower Class species. Class C by the looks of the stat decrease going from ten stats per level to seven.

I don’t have the time for this right now though as the scorpion is quickly regaining its composure. So I check its skills.

[General Skills]

N/A

[Active Skills]

|Quantum Vampirism Level 1(0%)(T1)|

[Passive Skills]

|Quantum Symbiosis Level 1(0%)(T1)|

After reading through the descriptions of the two skills, I immediately begin grinning.

That’ll work very nicely.

“Luna,” I speak out loud in a slightly hoarse tone from the poison that’s gotten in my mouth a couple times. “That’s your name.”

The pet’s status immediately updates to show her new name before she makes an adorable little squeaking noise while flying up to perch on my uninjured shoulder to rub her head against my neck.

I think for a moment, only to teleport away from the boss’s charge after it continues. Then I direct my thoughts towards Luna, using the bond that I feel between us to say, ‘Please share with me your soul.’

Almost immediately, I feel an influx of soul fill me up all the way to about a quarter of my maximum capacity before Luna squeaks again, sending me a sad feeling that I somehow interpret as her Quantum Symbiosis skill not letting her share any more soul at once. That she’s hit her cap for now.

I pet her with a smile before returning my full attention to the boss as it turns around to face me.

Time to give this scorpion a piece of my mind.