Chapter 8

Show Me Your Resolve!

Small status screens appeared, detailing the debuffs ailing me. My hands clad in the void gripped the Patriarch Centipede foremost mandibles. Our individual strength stood in stark contrast to each other. 

“Arghh,” I screamed as the smaller perfusions from its mouth pierced my unprotected body. Poison, and bleeding status effects accompanied the pain and debilitating effects.

You have been dealt damage! 

You have been bitten by Patriarch Centipede! 

You are bleeding! Your health regen has been staunched!

You have been poisoned! Your health is being depleted!

It manly legs marched forward; My feet scraped along the ground, as I pushed against it’s tidal strength. Its massive ugly head reared up; shaking me like rag doll. It abruptly rose after its  jerking and jeering. its pincers pierced depose into my body. My blood poured freely from the wounds it savagely inflicted. Rearing on its lower most limbs and forcing me from my embattled position. 

Pushing against me. It forcefully drove me along for the ride, it body rocketed forward, it’s many legs  propelling it’s mad dash.

Boom! 

The cavern shook, as my body was slammed against the wall. The sharp piercing rocks shredding my cloths rags with ease. I gasped, the air poured from my lungs. Screens flashed threateningly warning me of my current peril. 

You have been body slammed by the Gigantes Centipede Patriarch!

You have been dealt massive damage! 

Your hobbled status has been upgraded to crippled. Your left arm, and leg have been crippled.

Your bleeding status has been upgraded to laceration!

Your stamina and health regen have been staunched!

I gritted my teeth in pain. Blood pooled in my mouth, and leaked around the corners. My body felt heavy and sluggish. No doubt the poison running its course. The Centipede shook its head slinging me across the sharp ground further shaving away health. 

“BELlA,”I managed to cough out, our connection was static, I couldn’t even determine if she was still here with me. But, I knew she was here crunching numbers and collecting data. Sigh! No answer, what am I to do? I questioned myself as I tried to rise from where I was unapologetically slung. 

I crawled across the floor. My right side all but useless. I listened inventively, every sound became an enemy. The smallest scrape made me turned in anticipation. Yet no attack came; the darkness became an enemy as well. 

the ground quaked beneath me. Seconds all I had  to the emerging threat. I painfully rolled out of the way. 

I managed to get myself standing. Catching what little breath I could. I quickly dove in the opposite direction, a lot slower then my earlier agile movements. The massive bug head broke through, the only tale of its emergence was the green glow of its mouth, and red eyes. I shielded myself from the explosion of rocks and debris.

I took tentative steps in the darkness, the shadows, the sounds all effecting me. I was afraid. Frightened I called for her, “Bella, please say something.” Did she lie to me? I asked as pulled my battered body forward.

Our connection fluttered alive, “Show me your Resolve.” Was all I got before the connection went blank again. 

“Dammit,” I hissed. Keeping my voice muffled. Of all the damn times for her to abandon me, now had to be it. 

I poured the bottle of inferior grade [Antitoxin] Into my mouth. In my  haste half the contents were gifted to the the ground. I tossed the bottle which was created using my arcane weaving spell, it  vanished into small mana participles before smashing into the wall. I snatch the stopper off a second bottle appearing my hand. “Old fashion it is,” I mumbled. I smeared the contents into the the wounds.

The scraping sound of sharp appendages moving rapidly cross the hard surface made me grimace. “I can’t see you bastard,” I screamed toward the thing cloaked into the darkness.“But I can fucking hear you.”

Two beady red orbs opened in the distance, they starred at me aggressively, I could barely see the mockery hiding in them. That small face made me mad, a fucking bug, a overgrown crawling spitting piece of shit was leisurely mocking me. 

The red orbs drifted upward, no-doubt raising on its hind legs. As my eyes tracked its accent, a green fluorescent light glowed in the darkness. My hackles raised in warning as I barely dodged the poisonous spit that splattered against where I was previously.

As I moved through the darkness, quietly as possible, my hearing stretched far as possible, to warn against any offense.

After a few close encounters, I realized they were  really toying with me. I was disadvantaged, and they knew it. I suppose they have done this number plenty time on adventures who stumbled across this cavern. I wonder how the Everbloom girl and party managed to avoid, or beat them. 

I never been afraid of the dark, at least I don’t remember being afraid. But I was scared, two deadly bugs were hiding in it. I realize my attitude toward d this experience need to change; this wasn’t my games, I wouldn’t respawn into my last saved location.

“Fuck!” I shouted in alarm before a glob corrosive  spit slammed into the spot just above my head. Stealth wasn’t working, I moved quickly, putting much distance as possible between me and my attacker.

Time to be proactive, I can’t remain of the reviving in like some noob. With my back  firmly against the wall I began to set forth a plan of action. I never was the smartest player, never tried to be, I barreled through missions and challenges for one reason, and one reason only, I  always had the bigger stick.

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After the healing spell ran its course. My health wasn’t at 100% but I didn’t need it to be. I had pretty good regen. I raised my good hand and summoned a [Weak fireball] I pushed as much Mana as I could Into it. It thrummed in my hand, licks of flames slapped around my wrist and I held  the fireball in the palm of my hand. An enriched buff applied to its name name. 

With a smile on my face I tossed the ball above my head. Second later a blinding light and a all consuming boom of the fireball impacting the ceiling. 

Boom! 

The pained hissing and thrashing of the two giant centipede and the notification that let me know my plan was successful. I ran forward, focusing on the first thrashing beast. 

You have blinded Gigantes Centipede Patriarch!

You have blinded Gigantes Centipede Matriarch! 

I knew the combination of Fire and water magic was compatible, and accompanied scolding, and burning Status effects. But I was an Alchemist now. I smiled. A void pocket appeared keeping up with my awkward sprint. 

Tossing a bottle of antitoxin ahead of me accompanied by fireball made me smile savagely but the Explosion, and my proximity to it made me curse, I absolutely wasn’t thinking, I couldn’t have been. The explosion that followed blasted me backwards. 

Boom!

You have injured yourself! Shock status has been applied. 

“Fuck,” I cursed trying reorient myself. I felt dizzy,t thoughts were sluggish. 

Tring!

You have unlocked the [Alchemist] ancillary skill [Bomb-Making I]

The information flooded my mind. I stood up on shaky legs. The screech in the distance put a smile on my face. “This does not make us even,” I said readying myself for the fight. 

Round two ensued in earnest. Balls of high pressure water, and fiery hot balls of Fire exploded around the cavern. I ran, I cast. I dodged. I dished out as much damage as I received. My high regen, and assortment of spells made me terrible foe for the two. 

The cavern was aglow with light. 

You have created the spell [Fire-o-wisp] 

Tome updated! 

I quickly cast the spell. Three balls of fire floated around me. The ground started its deep shaking. I ran away quickly. 

I threw a second bottle toward the emerging matriarch, the wisp of fire that trailed it exploded the canister sending her body flailing back. My void whip My gripped in my right hand struck the patriarch  body repeatedly. It’s flinched back from my assault, the matriarch submerged underneath. I shielded my eyes as the poison-fireball combination rocked the cavern in blinding light for the third time. 

Time was nothing as the three of us went blow from blow, our battle went from long distance, to stealth, and now close quarters. I laughed savagery as I broke the Patriarch main weapon from Its face. The beast roared in pain. I returned the sharp profusion into the segmented back of the matriarch as she emerged from the earth; my Void whip gripped around her head, my Void clad hand pierced into the section between her natural armor. I roared in laughter atop her back as she tore through the air. 

I realized why Bella wanted me to familiarize with magic. The destruction I could administer was devastating. Floating around me was three balls of water, that spun chaotically, three balls of fire that I used as a source of light. And now with my understanding of the the will-o-wisps spells two void balls were floating from my outstretched hand.

The Patriarch was so weakened it barely could pick it self up where I left it bloodied; its once arrogant red eyes shown with visible fear. It could no longer retreat but the damn female was smart. She stayed underground after I shaved her health down after  her last sneak attack. 

I walked toward the crippled Bug. It hissed loudly upon my approach. I looked over it’s body and  determined the damage the void Spells did compared to the crushing and burning damage of water, and fire, was devastating. I need to look into increasing my understand of the Grimoire.

Its guttural hissing was its final stand I suspected, it couldn’t even stand on it own. I was so close to its head, it’s  poisonous breath singed my face. I starred into its beady red eyes

The hum of my magic echoed around the closed cavern; the wisps orbited my person. The Giant centipede must have came to a conclusion that I was about to utterly destroy it. It lunged, It’s massive jowls opens to cleave me in half. I moved out of its reached without worry, it was half of what it once was. It’s bladed incisors sliced the air, making a loud snapping sound. I launched forward and hammered it’s head with my [Void Cladding]

You have dealt massive damage!

Bane of Bug of bug-kind successful! 

Patriarch Centipede has been cowed!

Tring!

Bane of Bug-kind II has leveled up! Description has been changed.

You have successfully cowed Patriarch Gigantes Centipede! 

Any damaged inflicted will become critical!

The beast screamed in fear. I smiled down at its massive lowered head. “Don’t be afraid now,” I said slamming my fist into head repeatedly. As the female resurface and watched me passively.

My anger satisfied I looked at my work. The creature had one remaining good eye, half of its legs were broken. It’s still bowed its head, but now it refrained from looking at me. I kicked it for good measure. I turned around and walked toward the female. But the notification of her being cowed as well gave me pause. 

I point to the ground. “Come here,” I demanded.  Her body quivered. 

I stood before the two bugs that caused me so much suffering. “I suppose I should just kill you both,” I said hoping for a reaction. They both continued to  remained docile. 

The female made hissing sound at me. I raised my hand aggressively in her direction. “You want to complain,” I asked. I tiled my head and cupped my ear. “Say that again,” I teased.

Tring!

[Arcane Linguistic (Scolopendra Gigantes) ] language Acquired!

The female made the hissing sound again, this time I understood her. “Spare us ..... Spare us...” was all it kept saying. 

It continued. “We serve, we will serve. Master.....” The creature pleaded for their life. 

Startled I look at them. This Arcane Linguistic skill was something else. I could pretty much talk to anything. 

“I knew you wouldn’t let me down,” said Bella drifting down bathing us in her ambient blue light.

I turned toward the orb floating above my shoulder. “Look who decided to show herself, after the fighting is over,” I said mockingly. 

Unconcerned about my complaint Bella drifted toward the two bugs. “This is unexpected. My calculations still need fine tuning. I thought this fight would have enraged you to the point of destroying the dungeon.” She said examining the creatures. I looked at her mouth agape in alarm. “What,” finally replying after registering what she said. Through the connection she brushed me off. “You are for to dependent on me. You never was that way in all of the games you completed. I only wanted you to remember what you exactly are without my constant prodding. This outcome wasn’t calculated, but I shouldn’t be to surprised, if anyone could make two dungeon bosses go against the mold, it would be you. You should be proud of your accomplishment. Too bad this world doesn’t give achievement trophies you love so much.” She finished. 

I stood theirs analyzing the orb before I spoke. “Yeah. Keep being all mysterious. I pointed toward the female that eyes were trailing Bella, both inspecting each other curiously. 

“You could communicate with just about anthjng giving enough time. You should read over your skills to fully grasp them. It might be illuminating, even to you,” said Bella as she drifted back above my shoulder. 

“Or,” I started raising my finger. “You just tell me what to do, and we Speed this along.” I said with a smile. 

She sighed. “Just make a contract. Not like ours, use your blood as medium. This is something else I wanted to test, hurry.” 

I raised my hand in surrender, which made the cowed bosses flinched. “You want me to make them a familiar, something like you?” I laughed out loud. 

Yes, but not like me. We are connect more intricately. Instead of your soul just use your blood. They will accept it, regardless. Also, They are bound to the dungeon. Your blood will give them form, a anchor to exist.” She said in a lecturing tone. 

I sighed. I looked at the two ugly Centipedes. “How about we just destroy them for the experience. I bet they will get me to level 10.” 

“Their combined experience and whatever drop you receive from a boss would undoubtedly be useful now, but in the long run, I think these two remaining beside you is an continued benefit.  But we both know you always liked to have pets. I remember two such being by your side, See them as such.”

As always a debate ensued. I didn’t want two ugly bugs tagalongs. And the fact they were huge. Bella swore it’s common, or common to a certain Class. I relented after she promise to be more forthcoming. I see it as a win in away. It’s not like I have to protect them, which I said I wouldn’t. 

“So what I need to do,” I said starring at the bugs. “Just one drop each. It’s more formal then anything. The system will automate the rest.” Bella said.

I pricked my hand. I drop the blood on their foreheads. Nothing happened. I was about to complain about her and information, and my finger hurt before notifications appeared. 

Tring! 

You have Initiated a blood pact! Those bound by their liege blood serve unquestionably.

You have become a dabbler In Blood Magic!

Your actions have been recorded. Your paths are being automatically assorted based off of your shown capabilities! Move forward, Improve!

“Wh-” I shouted. I took a step back as blood was pouring from my hand and like a fountain, and pooling around the two Centipedes. 

“Bella,” I shouted. “What is happening,” I said trying to staunched the blood flow. 

Bella single eye zoomed in and out before she spoke. “Don’t panic. The system is remaking them. She said. “Allow your fire, and water mana to flow into them. Just choose which one get what, it doesn’t matter.” She said moving closer to them.

“Whatever,” I said. “You owe me, after this.” I activated my mana manipulation skill and sent it toward the Now cocooned duo. 

After confirming the job done. By knocking on the cocoons and asking if anyone home. 

“So,” I said. Are you going to carry them.” I asked  folding my arms. Bella drifted toward the new appearing doorway. “No. Just store them into the void. It might benefit their evolution.”