Chapter 654 Accepting the quest or not? (1)
"What to do…?"
Erik leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing as he considered the quest details. The White Desert was a huge problem, but the Thaids made the mission dangerous. He had never been there, but was aware of what monsters he was going to face.
Erik's spine was chilled by the image of the first Thaid he thought of. A Scorpidra, a frightful combination of scorpion and nightmarish desert beast, had the power to send shivers down the spines of even the most courageous fighters.
The beast was colossal, its ominous shadow stretching across the desert under the scorching sun. It stretched six meters long from its head to the tip of its tail, a monstrous length that made it a daunting adversary for any who dared to cross its path.
Its exoskeleton was not just any shell; it was a dark, chitinous armor, as black as the desert night. The armor's surface was covered in sharp, jagged ridges and spikes, giving it an even more menacing appearance. It seemed impenetrable, a formidable barrier that would be hard to pierce for any average mercenary wielding standard weapons.
But what struck fear into the hearts of those who knew of the Scorpidra was its tail. It wasn't just a tail; it was a weapon of death. A long, sinuous appendage that moved with a lethal grace, ending in a stinger. The stinger wasn't just sharp; it carried a potent neurotoxin, a deadly poison that could paralyze a grown man in mere seconds.
One sting from the Scorpidra wasn't just painful; it could lead to a slow, agonizing death. The victim would be rendered helpless, their body shutting down while their mind remained trapped in a state of terrifying awareness. The thought of such a fate was enough to make even the most hardened warriors think twice before venturing into the White Desert.
What set the Scorpidra apart in Erik's mind was its extraordinary brain crystal power. He had never seen it in action, but the vivid descriptions from the texts painted a picture that was both fascinating and terrifying.
According to these sources, the Scorpidra didn't just inhabit the desert; it held dominion over it. The creature's mere thought could cause the sand to stir and move, altering the landscape to its advantage.
The texts described how the sand could collapse, creating deadly pitfalls that could engulf unsuspecting victims. It could rise, forming barriers that entrapped the creature's prey.
The desert, under the alleged influence of the Scorpidra's brain crystal power, became an extension of the creature itself, a fearsome accomplice in its relentless pursuit.
The second Thaid that loomed in Erik's thoughts was the Terrapede, a creature as horrifying as the Scorpidra, if not more.
Based on the descriptions he had read, the Terrapede was a colossal beast, reminiscent of a centipede but on a scale that defied belief. It could stretch up to an astounding fifteen meters long, its enormous body a sight that would send shivers down any observer's spine.
Its multitude of legs, each one covered in coarse, chitinous armor, skittered across the sand at an alarming speed.
The texts described how they moved in a synchronized manner, creating a terrifying spectacle of coordinated movement that allowed the creature to traverse the desert with uncanny agility.
The Terrapede's mandibles were another source of dread. According to the accounts, they were powerful enough to crush many metals.
However, what set the Terrapede apart was its brain crystal power. This power didn't just enhance the creature; it transformed it into a living armor. It hardened the Terrapede's already tough exoskeleton, turning it into a very tough shield.
Erik had read accounts of battles against the Terrapede where bullets and blades alike had bounced off the creature's body.
The descriptions clarified that most conventional weapons were rendered useless against this beast.
Erik sighed, rubbing his temples as he weighed his options. Both Thaids presented unique challenges that would require specialized tactics. Not for him, but for his team.
The Scorpidra's neurotoxin meant that they would need antivenom and lots of it. Its ability to manipulate the terrain would require constant vigilance; they couldn't afford to be caught in a trap. They would need to be fast; the Terrapede was agile for its size.
As for the Terrapede, if they faced some of them, the best he could do was to fight them head-on. Erik wasn't worried about facing these Thaids; the problem was to retrieve the cargo and ensure the safety of his men and women.
His guild was growing, but the strength of its members wasn't that high, so he had to fill a difficult role, the protector.
Erik thought that the best thing to do was to bring his clones with him. They were not as strong as these Thaids, but they were close, meaning they could help the others in case something went bad. The problem was that if they left the guild now, it would end up unattended and he couldn't risk that.
Besides, he couldn't only bring them, as he needed more manpower to search and retrieve the cargo. The most skilled team after them was Mira's.
Erik's mind worked overtime as he considered the logistics of such an expedition. They would need a team, not just any team, but a well-armed and skilled one. Each member would need to be equipped with a diverse arsenal of weapons, selected to counter as best as possible the unique abilities of each thaid.
Besides the armament, they would need vehicles. But these couldn't be ordinary vehicles; they would need to be designed for navigating the treacherous terrain of the White Desert.
They would need to be robust enough to withstand the harsh conditions, yet agile enough to maneuver around sudden sand shifts and pitfalls.
These vehicles would need to be designed with soundproofing to ensure they operate quietly. Making noise in the vast, open expanse of the desert was a surefire way to attract unwanted Thaid attention.
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