Sensing weakness the jackal unleashed the full power of its Aura of Dread. Jack felt the unnatural fear clawing at his mind trying to paralyze him so his foe could finish him off. However, the feeling was strangely muted like it wasn’t as strong as it should be.

[Empathic Shielding has allowed you to resist Aura of Dread]

Of course! The Upgrade he had chosen to protect his mind saved him from the mental attack. As the thought flashed through his mind another one followed on its heels. He knew he was protected but the Jackal didn’t.

Jack feigned a look of terror, allowing his body to tremble as if he were succumbing to the jackal's fearsome presence. He staggered back, deliberately slowing his movements, making it appear as though the Aura of Dread was working. The jackal's eyes gleamed with cruel satisfaction, its predatory grin widening as it prepared to finish him off.

The creature lunged again, going for the kill. But this time, Jack was ready. As the jackal closed in, Jack’s eyes flashed with renewed determination. He dropped the act of fear and met the jackal's attack head-on. With a burst of speed, he sidestepped at the last moment, twisting his body to avoid the snapping jaws. As the jackal sailed past, Jack pivoted on his heel and drove his spear upward with all his strength, catching the creature in its exposed flank.

[You have inflicted a Critical hit on Split Soul Jackal Damagex4]

[You have dealt 360 Piercing damage to Split Soul Jackal]

[You have dealt 176 Fire damage to Split Soul Jackal]

[You have dealt 140 Necrotic damage to Split Soul Jackal]

[You have inflicted Corruption on Split Soul Jackal]

In a single strike, Jack had depleted the monsters total health pool by over a quarter. He watched with bemusement as the jackals tried to use its Regeneration against the Corruption.

The jackal let out a furious snarl as its healing ability struggled to counteract the sickly green corruption seeping into its body. The creature's once fluid motions became slightly erratic, its predatory grace marred by the battle within. Jack took the opportunity to press his advantage, knowing he couldn't let up now.

He dashed forward, his spear poised for another strike, but the jackal recovered quickly, its shadowy form flickering as it prepared to blink away. Jack did not intend to let that happen.

His spear shot forward, the weapon piercing through the creature through its shoulder, causing it to howl in pain. Even as the jackal writhed in agony, its flailing claws struck Jack across his chest, leaving a deep, bloody gash. The spear’s enchanted blade released a burst of fire and necrotic energy into the wound, making the jackal’s regeneration work even harder to keep up with the damage.

[You have inflicted 100 Piercing damage to Split Soul Jackal]

[You have dealt 29 Fire damage to Split Soul Jackal ]

[You have dealt 40 Necrotic damage to Split Soul Jackal]

[You have inflicted Corruption on Split Soul Jackal]

The spear’s enchanted Dusk Iron blade pulsed with energy, releasing another burst of fire and necrotic magic into the wound. Jack watched as the jackal’s regeneration faltered again, the Corruption spreading deeper into its body. This was the first time he had seen a status effect like Corruption stack, affecting the creature twice in quick succession. The jackal’s movements slowed, its ferocity waning as the curse took a tighter hold.

He could see it now—fear. The same fear the jackal had tried to inflict upon him was now reflected in its glowing purple eyes, mixed with frustration and pain. The once-arrogant predator was losing its confidence.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

The jackal lunged again, though its movements were sluggish, desperate. Jack anticipated the attack, feinting to the left to draw the creature in. As it committed to the attack, Jack spun on his heel, bringing his spear around in a wide arc, activating Berserk ...in the same breath. His muscles surged with raw power, his senses sharpening as the skill took hold. The jackal, caught mid-lunge, had no time to react.

The spear connected with a sickening thud, slicing deep into the jackal’s side. The creature yelped in pain, its body convulsing as the blow landed. Jack didn’t hesitate. With the full force of his Berserk-fueled strength, he pressed the attack, his spear moving in a blur as he aimed for the jackal’s vital points. Each strike was precise, and calculated, driving deeper into the creature’s weakening form.

The jackal’s regeneration, though formidable, was faltering. The Corruption, combined with Jack’s relentless assault, had pushed its healing abilities beyond their limits. Wounds that had once closed almost instantly now remained open, the flesh struggling to mend itself. The jackal’s breathing grew labored, its movements sluggish and desperate.

But Jack had no time to savor his advantage.

A sudden, loud chittering noise echoed through the cavern, sending a chill down his spine. He spun around to face the source of the sound, his heart skipping a beat. The spider.

In the corner of the cavern, the massive Shadowspinner Matriarch had finished weaving its grotesque web fortress, a towering structure of thick, venom-laced silk. The web pulsed with a sickly greenish hue as if the spider’s venom was infused into the very strands. From the shadowy depths of the web, dozens of spiderlings began to emerge, their beady eyes reflecting the dim light of the cavern like a sea of malevolent stars.

Each spiderling was a miniature version of the Shadowspinner Matriarch. Their chitinous bodies were sleek and deadly, and their fangs dripped venom potent enough to kill with a single bite. They moved with eerie coordination, their tiny legs skittering across the stone floor in unison as they swarmed toward Jack. The sight of the approaching horde sent a cold wave of dread through him, and his heart began to race.

For a moment, Jack’s thoughts were a blur of possibilities, each more dire than the last. The jackal was still dangerous, even in its weakened state, but the real threat was the spiderlings. They were fresh, fast, and numerous, a swarm that could easily overwhelm him if he didn't act quickly. The spider itself remained within the safety of its web, its multifaceted eyes gleaming with a predatory intelligence as it watched its offspring advance on Jack.

With a determined grit, Jack activated his Ironhide skill. He felt a familiar sensation as his skin hardened, transforming into a tough, almost metallic shell. His defenses bolstered, Jack braced himself for the onslaught. The first wave of spiderlings reached him, their legs skittering across the stone with a sound that set his teeth on edge. They lunged at him, fangs bared, but the Ironhide skill let him tank their attacks, the fangs scraping harmlessly off his hardened skin.

Jack swung his spear in a wide arc, the weapon slicing through the air with a deadly hiss. The blade cut through the first rank of spiderlings, their bodies collapsing in a twitching heap at his feet. But there was no time to savor the small victory—more were coming, a relentless tide of venomous death. For every spiderling he felled, it seemed two more took its place, their numbers threatening to overwhelm him through sheer force.

His breathing grew labored as he continued to fight off the horde, each swing of his spear more desperate than the last. He knew he couldn’t keep this up for long. The jackal was recovering, its eyes blazing with renewed hatred as it watched Jack struggle. The spider, hidden within its web, remained patient, biding its time as its offspring did the dirty work.

Jack needed to change the tide of the battle, and fast. He couldn’t afford to let the spiderlings wear him down while the jackal recovered its strength. His mind raced, searching for a solution. Then, an idea sparked—a way to force the spider out of its lair and disrupt the balance of the fight.

Without hesitation, Jack focused his energy and unleashed an Overcharged Flame Gout. A torrent of intense flame erupted from his hand, the fiery blast roaring through the cavern like a dragon's breath. The flames collided with the spider’s web fortress, and the reaction was immediate and catastrophic. The venom-laced webbing ignited in a brilliant blaze, the flames hungrily consuming the delicate strands. The web, once a symbol of the spider's dominance, crumbled and withered under the intense heat. The spiderlings, caught in the blaze, were either consumed by the flames or scattered in panic, their tiny bodies vanishing into the shadows.

Seizing the moment of chaos, Jack turned his attention back to the jackal. The creature, now caught between the encroaching flames and Jack’s relentless assault, had no time to react. It attempted to blink away using its Shadow Step ability, but Jack was ready for it. He anticipated the jackal’s movement, tracking the slight shift in the shadows that signaled its next move.

With a roar of determination, Jack lunged forward, thrusting his spear with all the strength he could muster, timing the strike to coincide with his activation of Lifeleech. The weapon pierced through the jackal's chest, driving deep into its flesh. The creature let out a strangled yelp, its glowing eyes wide with shock as the force of the blow pinned it to the ground. Jack twisted the spear, ensuring the strike was lethal, and the jackal's body convulsed violently as the last remnants of its life force drained away.