Kaden ignored the punctures and gashes he’d come up with, aiming to use the monster’s distraction to land a [Brutal Blow], but it hopped sideways as he began to swing, and darted straight for Sara.

  “[Backstab!]” Trella shouted as she appeared behind it. Her twin daggers left gaping wounds in its chest, and by the time it twisted, her Deception stood in her place.

  Another [Moon Strike] lanced over Kaden, and Trinity gave her “I just ripped the face off of something” roar. Healing struck Kaden, a wave of healing. A flood of healing. At the same time, the remaining leopard convulsed as blood gushed from its mouth and nose.

  Sara stood, feeling of her cheek, which dripped blood, but no longer let Kaden see her teeth.

  Eve screamed, holding out her hand at the remaining leopard. Blood burst like a fountain from its eyes—and she collapsed.

  Trella beat Sara to her by a heartbeat. “Still got a pulse. I think it’s mana shock.”

  Eve had more mana than any of them put together. Mana shock would require her running out. Kaden looked at her again. “She hit that skill evolution you were talking about. Life Harvest is gone.”

  [Life Transfusion]

  Heal you by hurting them, that’s the way of a transfusionist. Use mana to fuel a direct conversion of their life to yours, or the target of your choice. This skill is more effective if a target has status effects. This skill is more effective if the target suffers from [bleed]. The transfusion rate will become more efficient as this skill progresses.

  That skill was frightening.

  Kaden used [Field Harvest] on the corpses of the Golden Leopards and received a flint tipped arrow and a [block of wood]. Nothing else, which wasn’t surprising, since [Life Transfusion] had essentially pulped the corpses.

  A few moments later, Eve opened her eyes. “Sara? You were right. Life Transfusion is the evolution of [Life Harvest]. It’s basically mana for life at this point, but it’s continuous.”

  With Eve’s deep mana reserves, that meant she could practically murder leopards on her own. And that was before factoring in Mana Darts, Herald of Life, or skill levels.

  “Expect it to grow slowly, but as effective as it is, it won’t slow you down, and you can do minor damage to every target so you get XP. What’s the range?” Sara asked.

  “Short. Really short, but I can feel it, the skill will grow.” Eve did a short dance before recovering her poise. “All right. All the patrols are dead. What now?”

  Sara pointed to the caves. “Now we go down.”

  Trinity was not a fan of caves. Ruby Hydras came from islands where caves were rare, and as a result, she’d never needed to go spelunking. She came to Kaden and pushed a memory of her in a Soul World, tearing the face off a man deer.

  She wanted to leave the caves.

  Kaden couldn’t ask for more, and her wounds would heal just as fast. He pulled her inside and pumped another mana dart into Eve.

  “If there are centipedes, then we’re in one end of the cave complex,” Sara said. “If there are spiders, we’re at the other. No matter what we find, we don’t push all the way through. There’s a sub boss in the middle of the cavern complex and I see no reason to risk it if there are easier monsters to tackle.”

  The inside of the cave had cold air, with frost on the surfaces, and a smell that reminded Kaden of the day old meat some Beasts demanded as food. He held up his hand for the others to stop. “Let me use Beast Empathy.”

  Monsters weren’t Beasts, but some were patterned on them, and there’d been enough times where it functioned that it was worth a chance.

  *Patience*

  The feeling was alien. Distant. And it came from the ceiling. “Up. Don’t know what it is, but it’s up”

  “Spiders.” Sara studied the cave ceiling. “Centipedes are ground dwellers and tunnelers with pit traps. Spiders climb. Eve, how about trying to light them up?”

  [Moon Strike] blasted into the ceiling—and spiders scattered everywhere. Even worse, in the shadows of the ceiling, Kaden glimpsed shrouded figures. “Those are the corpses you were asking about.”

  The spiders swarmed and chittered and eyes glistened from high above, but they didn’t want to come down. Eve continued to use [Moon Strike], until one fell.

  [Glass Spider]

  This spider is small, but its strength comes in numbers. Their bite paralyzes and their webs will slice. Do not underestimate them. Beast Knowledge: These spiders are not immune to their own webbing.

  *Confusion*

  The spiders weren’t used to being discovered, they were used to being the ones ambushing their enemies. Now Eve’s [Moon Strikes] were hurting them from within the tunnel. And with Sara and Kaden feeding her Mana Darts, she rained terror on them.

  A spider fell to the ground in the middle of the cavern, legs twitching.

  “Don’t!” Kaden shouted, as Sara rushed out to hack it. He made a mana dart and pushed mana into it until it swelled and glowed—and threw it into the cavern.

  Thousands of glistening threads hung from the ceiling. “Every last one of those will cut,” Kaden called.

  Then inspiration struck. “Vip! I need someone short and *fast.*”

  Vip appeared from the stairs, leaping down to dash in circles around him. *Love*

  He didn’t need words. He envisioned Vip walking carefully, stealthily, just under the hanging threads. And tearing the spiders to shreds. The spider’s plan was easy to see. A party wanders into the cave and gets cut by the first threads. But if they crawled, they could pass. Except that other Glass Spiders would land on them, using paralyzing bites.

  Vip could sprint under the threads.

  Vip despised rats.

  These were just rats with more legs.

  *Hate!* Vip sent. And she dashed out, hitting the stunned spider with [Crackling Charge], then tearing each limb off. Other spiders dropped down, their trap instincts saying they had prey. Not that they’d become prey.

  Vip shrieked in pain as a stray web came drifting down, slicing her ear and leg, but [Life Transfusion] hit her, as a spider nearby spasmed and exploded into goo. If anything, Vip moved faster, bit harder,

  Vip’s skill with [Triple Nip] has increased.

  Vip’s skill with [Crackling Charge] has increased.

  Vip has gained a level.

  And still the spiders came. These weren’t cunning creatures, they were trappers and their instincts said the trap had been triggered. Every time Vip cried out, Kaden had to force himself not to sprint into the cave. He’d rather have been cut himself.

  Vip has gained a new skill: Lightning Aura

  [Lightning Aura]

  When you move quickly, electricity streams off of you, striking your foes or building up for a more powerful strike.

  Vip changed how she attacked, dashing through the cave in circles, dodging the short lunges the spiders attempted and using [Triple Nip] to tear legs off. Until, at last, she trotted back to Kaden. Blood clotted in her curly fur, and one ear was notched, perhaps permanently, but she wagged her tail and circled him and climbed up when he reached for her. Kaden didn’t care.

  Trella sent her shadow out across the cave floor—then came back. “I have an idea, but it’s not going to be fast, and it’s not going to be cheap on Mana. My [Shadow Servant] can’t be cut. If I’m careful, I can have it cut down the web so there’s a path through.”

  Sara’s pseudopods tried devouring the thread—and came back bleeding. “I think you’re on to something, but we’ll work together. Have it gather the threads into a bunch, and I’ll cut them with my swords.”

  Foot by foot, they sliced their way through the webs. Kaden used [Field Harvest] to remove the fallen threads, receiving [Glass Spider Silk] for each. What, exactly, one would make from thread that sliced, he didn’t know, but what mattered was that it wouldn’t slice up their feet.

  Midway through the cave, Kaden stopped to study the entombed adventurers above him. They’d made a terrible mistake, but hadn’t he attacked a Champion wolf? Luck had been on his side, but it wouldn’t always be.

  “Do we have a way to get them down?” he asked.

  Sara shook her head. “There’s not a way to cut them down.

  “Can’t Kaden just put them in Inventory?” Eve asked. “He does it with everything else, and he doesn’t even touch things half the time. We could boost him up close.”

  After several arguments, they worked together to let Kaden climb onto their back. He stood, surrounded by the glass threads. The bodies hung a few inches beyond his grasp, but—there! One fell into his inventory—then out onto the floor, still wrapped. Again and again, he pulled bodies, until at last, he dropped to the floor.

  Sara stored the bodies away. “We’re missing one, but there’s no telling where they died. Now, let’s discuss what comes next. The next room over isn’t the sub boss. It’s a recovery room. I’m hoping for a healing spring.”

  “Then let’s get to cutting.” Trella spawned her shadow—and gasped, as it gathered the glass threads, and sliced them with its own dark sword.

  When the skill expired, the shadow disappeared.

  And Kaden had so many questions. “How did you do that? How long have you been able to do that?

  Trella looked as confused as the rest of them. “Shadow Servants don’t have [Shadow Strike]. In fact, they are literally what we wrap around the blade for [Shadow Strike]. Wait. It gained another level. And has two skills of its own.”

  Kaden spent the time waiting for the cooldown using [Field Harvest]. And received a welcome notification.

  Your skill with [Field Harvest] has increased.

  “Stand back. I want to try something.” Kaden reached towards a clump of hanging silk. While the spiders were alive, their Mana had empowered it. Now? He shouted, “[Field Harvest]!”

  His mana began to plummet.

  And the earth swung up to smack him.

  29

  TWENTY NINE - RUN

  Kaden woke with a pounding headache and Vip sitting on his chest, licking his face. His vision swam and he wanted to vomit, if he could only find the energy to do it. “What happened?”

  Trella leaned over to offer him a sip of water. “Since there’s not a thread left in the cave, I’m going to guess you used a skill that scales with the material it’s gathering, and dropped your mana to zero. Mana Shock’s not fun, is it?”

  You have received _MAX_ Glass Spider Silk.

  Field Harvest had coiled it in his inventory in neat stacks. He sat up, checking his stats. His HP was max, mana was at two and rising. He mindlessly formed a Mana Dart and crushed it to recover the mana. “How long was I out?”

  “Three minutes. We probably could have woken you immediately.” Sara drew her own Mana Dart again and passed it to him. Every person’s Mana tasted different. Felt different. Sara’s was orderly and calm. Eve’s was cold and like swallowing iron. Both made him feel better.

  “I think something just moved up there.”

  “Baby Ice Spiders. We saw a few of them hatch. It’ll be weeks before the colony becomes a threat. Get up, you big baby.” Trella helped him to his feet. “Eve and I scouted the recovery room. There’s a healing spring and two different types of plant Eve says can be used to make healing poultices.”

  “And now the good news,” Sara said. “The sub boss was supposed to be approached from either direction, depending on the risk the party wanted. So there’s another recovery room, we just need to find our way there. The sub boss is completely optional, so the recovery rooms are ours to use.”

  Kaden was well enough to get to work. “How does the recovery room work?”

  “The spring can restore all of us once, one of us four times, or resurrect one person, once. After that it’s drinkable water.” Sara looked around. “I think this may be a better base than the entrance, with the [Harmpanzees] loose.”

  “We’ll make that call tonight. Let’s get to work.” Kaden waited for Eve and Sara to pass, then took Trella’s hand. “Is there a chance you’ll lose control of your Shadow Servant?”

  “I don’t think so. It’s still doing what I instruct, it’s just doing more than it should be able to. Senior Sister is going to flip. Her Shadow Servant can last over an hour, but doesn’t have skills.”

  Kaden stopped. “Wait. Can you travel through shadows to get help?”

  “Even if I could, I wouldn’t be able to come back. And even if I could, I wouldn’t leave you.”

  “Someone needs to know what Captain Aurora did.” Kaden stopped, waiting for space from Eve and Sara. “If something goes wrong. If we’re all down? You find a way out of this dungeon.”

  They caught up to Sara at the Vine Arch that the patrols had come down. Despite being “open,” the dungeon still formed hallways and rooms, with sky as the ceiling and heavy brush to form walls. As Kaden saw with the arrows, the non existent walls were very much real.

  The next ‘room’ was formed from the walls of ancient ruins, toppled stone buildings without ceilings that gave it a claustrophobic feel. As the connector to the next corner, it would have two exits, one leading to the inner set of rooms and one to the next corner.

  “Snakes,” Trella said as her deception returned. “Really large snakes, as in multiple. One large one is lurking in the ‘safe’ path to the right, the center path has two medium snakes. Even the medium ones could swallow Vip.”

  Eve looked to Kaden, and he pulled Vip into his soul. “Snakes are vulnerable to edged weapons. I’d bet arrows won’t do anything, or won’t do much, at least.”

  “Not the kind we have.” Trella patted her daggers. “The real danger is going to be their [Constrict] attack.”

  “I can deal with that.” Kaden triggered [Razor Scales]. “Except that it’s going to shred my armor if I’m not careful.”

  “You know, barbarians go into battle wearing only a loin cloth,” Sara said.

  “Was that a ‘battle’ you were having with Kronor?” Trella asked. “Who won?”

  Sara chortled. “I did. All four rounds.”

  Kaden wasn’t about to charge into battle naked. “I’ll be using the axe side of Remembrance, so stay clear. I don’t know if [Acidic Drool] will be useful, but if I spit on anything, don’t touch it.”

  “Did you really have to state that?” Eve asked.

  “Eve, lead with [Moon Strike] on the large snake. I’d rather take on one larger one than two small. I’ll be front and center for damage, Trella, if [Backstab] works, you know what to do, otherwise, use a regular stab.” Sara moved out into position, and the parties took their places.

  A full [Shield] wouldn’t hesitate to take on a monster hand to hand. Kaden wasn’t a true [Shield]. But he drew Remembrance and smashed the hammer side against stone so the ripples activated, then repeated it until the surface of the hammer shimmered like boiling water. “Ready.”

  [Moon Strike] lanced out, hitting a rotten log. A rotten log that rotated over, uncoiling and hosting a pair of golden eyes, and white fangs in a yawning pink mouth.

  [Titan Boa]

  Deep in the jungle, predators rule, and this predator has ruled for ages. Now a creature of the Dungeon, it combines hunger with hatred to punish those who dare enter its domain.

  Level: 18

  Skills: [Constrict], [Tail Lash], [Mana Scales]

  HP: ???

  Mana: ???

  In the moment it took Kaden to read that, it slithered forward, and Kaden ran to meet it, raising Remembrance for a strike. But the tail whipped out in a blur, striking Kaden in the chest. The blow wasn’t a mortal one, but it knocked Remembrance from his hands.

  Before he could move, the Boa was on him, twisting tighter and tighter with force that only grew stronger each moment. [Razor Scales] sliced into the Boa, but it had only one response for prey that struggled, [Constrict] harder.

  Ribs popped in Kaden’s chest, as he held his breath and fought to shift his body. Every movement scored flesh from the boa. A blessed wave of [Life Transfusion] hit Kaden, restoring his ability to think.

  “Nothing is cutting it!” Trella screamed. “Watch the fangs!”

  Of course. [Mana Scales] probably served as armor.

  Kaden summoned a mana spike. One to one drain, the skill said. Fortunately he didn’t need to see to use it, and the spike formed in his already trapped hands. Kaden put all but one point of Mana into it

  The Boa flinched, releasing [Constrict] for the slightest moment, before returning to crunching. The momentary gasp of air was beautiful and sweet, and now, Kaden felt the snake shudder as Sara’s swords hacked deep into it.

  The behemoth thrashed and threw Kaden loose, swiveling to protect itself from Sara.

  Eve hit Kaden with [Life Transfusion], a short burst, and he scrambled to grab Remembrance.

  He wouldn’t have chosen to chop right at the tip of the tail, it was a bad luck movement by the Boa, but Remembrance’s axe head cleaved right through the tip of the tail—then the rest of the blows landed, splitting a foot of tail up the spine.

  The Boa pivoted to attack, and Kaden used Remembrance to block its fangs open.

  “This thing has a twenty foot back. [Backstab] ought to work!” Trella shouted—then switched to [Eye Stab], which also wasn’t an actual skill.

  One blow ruined the Boa’s right eye, another chopped off a fang, and the Boa’s blood boiled as Eve used [Life Transfusion] again. Each time the use was shorter.

  Sara stood across from him, both swords drawn, her pseudopods ready to defend or rasp an open wound if the chance came.

  The Boa still couldn’t close its mouth with Kaden jamming Remembrance into the flesh.

  An arrow whistled past Kaden’s head to sink into the soft mouth-flesh of the Boa, and as it thrashed, Sara struck, hacking in a flurry of strikes against the wound she’d opened, until white spine bone showed.

  “Going for the spine,” Trella called, using her Deception to lure a [Tail Whip].

  The boa arched out, its body straight—then light faded from its eyes.

  Kaden stuffed the entire corpse into Inventory. And fell to his knees as a weight like a thousand pounds hit his shoulders.

 

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