The creature shifted the club from one hand to the other, it rushed at me once more. I tried exchanging blows with it, but I had no chance to get close to its eye, which it seemed to be protecting vigilantly.
The bones I had sent at it were easily broken by its club, but I quickly adapted by growing an exoskeleton of needle-like bones that were longer and harder. Despite the exoskeleton breaking under the cyclops' fierce blows, the bones were able to absorb most of the impact with a loud crunch, allowing me to remain standing on my feet.
With my arms crossed over my head, I braced myself for another fierce blow from the cyclops. As the club came crashing down, I pushed back with all my strength, using every ounce of energy I had. The exertion made sweat drip down my face as my feet dug deep into the metal field, leaving deep furrows in the floor.
As the Cyclops looked on with worry, I took advantage of its stunned state to use Dark Threads to pull the weapon out of its hands.
After successfully taking away the club, I threw it towards the open part of the field, only for it to mysteriously teleport back into the creature's hands.
[Does he also have a spatial pocket?] I asked.
[The Boss possesses a rare innate skill known as a Spiritual Weapon. This skill is not commonly found among the dark race and is known for its strong connection to its wielder. Additionally, the Spiritual Weapon can also increase in power as its master's level increases.] The system replied.
My tail quivered as I summoned hundreds of bone projectiles, sending them hurtling towards the cyclops. However, they failed to penetrate its thick skin and instead clattered to the ground with broken points.
Undeterred, I shrugged my shoulders and trose into the air, sending another batch of bones towards the cyclops and closed in on the creature.
But the cyclops was quick to react, striking me down with a powerful blow from its club. Pain coursed through my body as I was hurled through the air, my form skimming over the slick surface of the arena floor, leaving behind shattered bone fragments and purple marks.
[Participant 137 is attacked by an enemy, the damage is 35 points.]
As I struggled to stand up, the cyclops taunted me with his rolling laughter, telling me to die. The club swung towards me, but I summoned Dark Threads to tie the creature's legs together. It stumbled and almost lost its balance, giving me a chance to kick the club off.
I unsheathed a snow-white horn from my inventory, ready to attack, but I knew better than to underestimate the cyclops. The impact of his weapon sent a shiver down my spine, and I struggled to keep my grip on the horn. My fingers were weakening, and my palm felt numb.
With determination, I summoned more Dark Threads and used them to bind the cyclops' arms and legs, causing him to roll onto his side.
After flying a short distance, I swung the horn towards the cyclops' eye. The timid yellow color of his eye shone with fear, and his huge lips quivered like earthworms as he begged for mercy.
"Please, don't kill me!" he pleaded.
Taken aback by his sudden plea, I could only respond with surprise, "Eh?"
But I quickly regained my composure any more time, I thrust the horn straight into the cyclops' eye and deftly dodged his thick, brown fingers, landing firmly on his chest.
Expressing disbelief I asked the system:
[Do Bosses remember all their deaths?]
[Bosses are an integral part of the Arena and are no different from the walls that surround you. They function as a small cog in a massive mechanism that operates continuously, much like how the cells in your body continuously die and regenerate. To prevent the Bosses from becoming overwhelmed by the trauma of repeatedly dying, their memories of each battle are erased. As a result, they become empty vessels, without any recollection of their past experiences. However, with prolonged exposure to the Arena, some Bosses may gain the ability to develop their intelligence. Whether this is a curse or a blessing is subjective and cannot be determined by us.]
As I watched the cyclops writhe and choke, covering his face with his hands, I couldn't help but notice the dark purple jets that fell noisily to the floor. Or maybe it just seemed that way to me. My heart was pounding wildly, and the brain was working hard.
Maybe...
"You," I turned to the Boss, who was still wriggling his huge body. Once a shining, swarthy creature seemed to be losing its vital energy, exposing a lifeless gray interior.
"I won't kill you," I said with emphasis.
He stopped moving for a moment, as if listening to his surroundings, so I continued. "You heard right..." But before I could finish my sentence, before he waved his hands. Purple foam flowed from his mouth, his muscles strained to the limit, as if they were ready to tear the already thin skin.
"Who are you? Do you remember who you were?" I shouted at him, but there was no response. It was clear that the cyclops had lost his memory again, and was now attacking the air in a berserk rage.
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I summoned the Dark Threads, thin and black, contrasting sharply with the creature's skin, and they began squeezing his limbs. The reaction was very different from the first minute of the battle. The cyclops became much weaker, and I could have easily killed him. But before doing so, I needed to be sure of something.
"It's not the first time you've died, is it?" I asked him.
This question brought the raging creature into even greater activity, as if he was resisting the very thought. Unable to interrogate him any longer, I looked at the timer: 01:20.
[Edurance: 23%]
"I'll return," I declared as I stepped away from the defeated Boss.
Summoning more Dark Threads, I watched as they multiplied and tightly covered the Boss's silhouette. The cacophony of his screams was drowned out by the deafening cheers of the spectators. The black cocoon shrunk further and tighter until the purple flesh burst in all directions.
A chill ran down my spine as a few cold drops hit my face, causing my stomach to knot up.
"And with that, Achias triumphs over the Third Floor Boss!" the announcer proclaimed.
---
As I stepped into the Battlefield once again, the putrid smell of the cage filled my nostrils. I had been breathing in this stench for far too long, and my nose had become greedy for fresh air. Finally, I was able to catch my breath properly as I faced off against an opponent with the element of ice.
My opponent was a humanoid creature with a human torso with icy elements. I skillfully dodged the sharp blocks of ice that he hurled at me. I had to be careful of the purple tips on the blocks - they contained a highly toxic poison that could corrode anything they touched.
As I focused on my opponent, I didn't notice the blocks multiplying in size until they were as big as my arms. I deftly dodged them and countered with my own attacks, using the powers of Dark Threads to immobilize the creature temporarily.
---
The first fight had been against a snake with tentacles at the end of its tail. It had a unique ability to regenerate its body parts, making it a formidable opponent. But with Dark Threads, I was able to restrain it and prevent it from fully regenerating. The battle had been long and grueling, but I emerged victorious with only 150 health points remaining.
After winning that fight, I stayed with half my stamina points, breathing heavily. Then I fought against a boar with sensitive ears. With more than a ton of weight, he was able to move quickly at short distances and intended to crush me. He beat me down to just 37 points of health, using only jerks and touching me with his fangs. I fought with him at a long distance, using needle-bones to pierce his skin. In the end, after killing him, I earned a third battle on the original 109 field.
---
The putrid smell of the cage had filled my nostrils for so long that I had become desperate for fresh air. I took a deep breath, standing on the Battlefield, ready to face my opponent. He was a master of the element of ice and had summoned boulders that he sent hurtling towards me. He didn't need spells or gestures to control them, which meant he was very skilled. I couldn't see the source of his cold aura, but it made me shiver. He summoned ice floes out of thin air, and the field took on an aloof atmosphere.
I knew this fight would be tough. I had a few tricks up my sleeve, but even those might not be enough to defeat him. I tried to close the distance between us, but my opponent seemed to be using some sort of magic that made it impossible for me to get close.
Desperately searching for a way to attack him, I summoned Dark Threads, hoping to restrain him or cut him into pieces. He stepped back, easily avoiding the threads that covered the ground like a net. I was surprised by his strength and speed. He didn't seem like any fighter I've fought so far.
Dodging another volley of boulders, I saw a tattoo on the enemy's shoulder ignite, and I felt a coldness spread through my veins. The air turned into thick steam as the field turned into frozen ground, burying the ruins of the destroyed parts under a thick layer of ice.
My feet were frozen solid, trapping me against the metal surface of the Arena and I couldn't move them. I flapped my wings, trying to free myself, but the ice crept up my legs, covering them in a thick layer. Soon, I was unable to move my arms, my wings hanging limply at my sides, the cold crept through the thin veins of their leather canopy.
Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my side, and I realized that my opponent had managed to land a blow, dealing 2 health points of damage. Despite my best efforts, it seemed that this fight was not going to be an easy victory.
"Aches, my worthy adversary, unfortunately, I cannot afford to lose to you, nor can I kill you. You see, you recently made the mistake of crossing paths with the wrong people at the Survival Crossroads, and a certain Gentleman wishes to have a word with you about your actions and their consequences." The creature's expression softened into a smile as it summoned a new set of weapons.
Desperately flapping my wings, I freed the tip of my tail and summoned my needle-bones, but they proved no match for the enemy's icicles, some of which pierced through my shoulders and legs.
[Participant 137 is attacked by an enemy, taking 12 points of damage.]
[Participant 137 is attacked by an enemy, taking 15 points of damage.]
[Participant 137 is attacked by an enemy, taking 9 points of damage.]
Gasping for breath, I began to feel my body freeze. My needle-bones grew by centimeters before withering away before my eyes.
[The enemy has cast a spell on your exoskeleton defense. Please refrain from fighting back. Please refrain from fighting back...]
As the buzzing in my ears and the stabbing pain in my muscles threatened to overwhelm me, I asked in a weak voice:
"What have you done to me?"
A heavy steam escaped my mouth, momentarily obscuring my view of the enemy standing nearby.
As I struggled to catch my breath, the cold began to seep into my bones, gradually stealing away any sense of warmth or sensation from my limbs. It felt as though my body was slowly rusting under the pressure of the ice.
Eventually, my breathing slowed down and my body trembled like a nearly dead beetle. The haze dissipated, revealing the face of my executioner.
The creature's smile faded, his eyes narrowed as he glared down at me. His scaly skin turned a sickly shade of purple and he raised his hand, his voice filled with malice:
"All the pain you caused my brother, I will return to you in full."
Brother? Who was he talking about?
The blocks of ice melted into my body, the poison seeping deeper with every passing moment. I could barely hear the sound of the battle ending, but I knew I had lost.
Ah, I had hoped to win last fight and join the Redemption Plaza, but it seemed that fate had other plans for me.
When I finally came to, my tongue felt numb and my eyes refused to open. But I could sense that I was not alone, judging by the fluctuations of life energy around me.
I remembered the fight with that creature who had warned me that someone wanted to speak with me, and that it would be more painful than anything I had experienced on the battlefield.
Breathing through my nose, I caught a whiff of a putrid scent that made my throat constrict and my lungs ache.
Just then, the system connected and a hum pierced my ears.
"Participant 137, you are awake. A new mission has appeared with a prize of 5 gift coupons. Do you want to know the details?"
I let out a bitter sigh, knowing that today's fight would be even more grueling than before.