Chapter 686 Scorpidra (2)
Erik's command sliced through the tension, sharp and urgent. "Fire at will! Use everything you've got!"
Without hesitation, the mercenaries responded, their movements swift. A thunderous cacophony erupted as they let loose a relentless volley of bullets and artillery shells.
Yet, their faces fell as they watched the Scorpidra's armor absorb the onslaught with ease. Each impact seemed futile, the creature's defenses impenetrable.
A mercenary cursed under his breath, a mix of disbelief and frustration coloring his tone. "Shit! It's like it's made of Aclaitrium!"
"Shut up and keep firing!"
Their hands worked in a mechanical manner, reloading and firing, even as their expressions betrayed the sinking realization of their attacks' ineffectiveness.
Even though the attacks were harmless, the Scorpidra showed its distaste towards them. Its body was affected by the shock waves caused by the attacks, causing painful ripples and filling it with anger.
The beast's brain crystal power activated, and in an instant, a wall of sand materialized, shielding it from the onslaught of incoming attacks. The sand mana reinforced wall absorbed the projectiles with a soft thud, making them lose their impact.
With unwavering determination, the mercenaries who possessed brain crystal powers capable of long-range attacks entered the chaos, unleashing a spellbinding show of lights and energy to ensure they were not left behind in the fight. Arrows, energy bolts, and a multitude of other projectiles, all powered by mana, were launched at the beast in a continuous barrage of attacks.
A strange and guttural sound escaped from the Scorpidra, serving as a clear sign it was in great pain. Its armor was penetrated by the attacks, resulting in shallow wounds on its body.
Yet, despite these measures, they were unable to overcome the power of the beast. Although the creature had many wounds, they were superficial and did not significantly breach its tough exoskeleton or its mana protective film.
As Erik observed the Scorpidra, he noticed how it effortlessly shrugged off the attacks, its tail twitching in a menacing manner, as if expecting a retaliatory strike.
While considering all the details, he assessed the situation with a critical eye. Because of their lack of expertise, his mercenaries proved to be no match for the formidable Scorpidra and were unable to eliminate it.
Although this could be an excellent learning experience, its armor, impenetrable to these kinds of attacks, and its brain crystal power that allowed it to manipulate the very terrain, made it impossible for them to kill it.
He knew their actions would only result in the wastage of ammunition and energy. Prompted by a split-second choice, Erik propelled himself off the vehicle and ran towards the beast.
The Scorpidra seemed to perceive an added danger as the young man neared. With a swift motion, the creature raised its sand barrier even higher and redirected its attention towards him, its menacing dark tail poised for a lethal strike. With a swift and swooping motion, the beast swung its tail.
Without even turning his head, Erik dodged to the side, ensuring that he never lost sight of the beast, as he was determined not to let it escape his gaze.
With a loud crash, the tail descended, causing the venomous stinger to crash on the ground and resulting in a billowing cloud of sand and debris being thrown into the air because of the force of the impact.
However, Erik remained steadfast and did not let his focus waver. A resolute expression was obvious on his face. His team's ability to continue their search relied on him taking the life of the beast.
He weaved through the Scorpidra's subsequent attacks. The tail moving around, sometimes like a whip, some others like a spear, each dodge and sidestep calculated to bring him closer to the creature. In order to instill a sense of security, he wanted to create a spectacle that would show to his men and women that they were safe in his care.
With frustration apparent, the Scorpidra emitted a hiss while its eyes darted around, desperately trying to anticipate Erik's actions.
But the young man was too fast, too agile. With remarkable grace and quick thinking, he evaded the creature's claw and roll underneath it, positioning himself beneath its vulnerable underbelly.
This was his moment. As Erik closed his hand into a fist, he could feel the unbridled strength coursing through his veins. He didn't need to channel mana for this.
The sheer force of his physical strength was more than sufficient to obliterate the creature. Without making a single noise, he delivered a fierce punch targeting the belly of the Scorpidra. He didn't even need to choose a weak spot, as he knew his punch would kill the creature.
With an incredible amount of strength, Erik's fist collided with the armored body of the creature. The Scorpidra's chitinous armor, at the precise moment, splintered with a sound that was like the fracturing of stone.
This violent collision resulted in a gruesome explosion of gore. Chunks of its dark exoskeleton flew in all directions, mixed with a visceral shower of crimson and visceral matter.
The sheer force of the blow left a gaping, ragged wound, from which a torrent of dark, thick blood and entrails spilled forth, painting the ground in a macabre display. The air was filled with the acrid scent of freshly spilled blood and the stark, metallic tang of shattered armor.
The Scorpidra's gaze quickly became blank. It didn't even usher in a single sound, as its death likely happened as soon as it got it. Its body went limp, collapsing onto the sand with a resounding thud.
The tail, once a weapon of death, now lay motionless, its threat nullified. Erik stood over the fallen beast, his chest heaving normally, as if nothing had happened, but his eyes were alight with the fire of victory.
[SCORPIDRA KILLED: MANA ABSORBING PROCESS STARTING.]
[0%...1%....5%...30%...70%...100%]
[MANA SUCCESSFULLY ABSORBED, STARTING CONVERTING PROCEDURE.]
[3...2...1...0]
[MANA SUCCESSFULLY CONVERTED INTO EXPERIENCE. 1042 EXPERIENCE POINTS AWARDED TO THE HOST.]
Erik's mercenaries stood frozen, their expressions a picture of disbelief. Their weapons hung at their sides, forgotten. Eyes wide with shock, their mouths agape, they struggled to process the scene before them.
It was as if time had stopped, capturing their faces in a tableau of sheer amazement. Some blinked, as if trying to clear their vision of an illusion, while others had brows furrowed in bewilderment.
Their leader had single-handedly vanquished a Thaid they wouldn't be able to kill even as a group, with nothing more than his fists, seemed to defy logic.
It was a moment that transcended their understanding of possibility, etching a permanent mark of awe and incredulity on their stunned faces.
Erik's eyes scanned the faces of his team, searching for any signs of injury or distress. Most seemed in good shape, but his gaze quickly shifted to a group of men rushing toward the damaged armored vehicle. The artillery had been destroyed, and the vehicle rendered useless.
"Is everyone okay?" Erik asked, already moving toward the car.
His men were pulling the driver out, rescuing him from the wreckage. With no movement, the artillery operator laid still. She met her demise at the hands of the Scorpidra. The driver was still breathing, albeit with clear difficulty.
"Get him some first aid, now!" Two of Erik's medics rushed forward with a first aid kit. They assessed the driver's injuries, applying bandages and antiseptics where needed.
If only healers had asked for less money, he would have hired them. The guild's finances were still not enough to hire them, but he was going to put an end to this with the mission's reward.
Once stabilized, the injured man was carefully lifted and transferred to another vehicle. Erik approached him, looking down at the youthful face. The driver, a 22-year-old named Tim, looked up at Erik with a mixture of relief and shame.
"I'm sorry, boss," Tim said. Regret laced his voice as he struggled to breathe.
Erik shook his head, offering a reassuring smile. "Don't apologize. You're alive, and that's what matters. You'll get stronger. We all will. Just focus on recovering for now."
In response, Tim nodded his head. His guild master's words had a profound effect on him, instilling within him a renewed sense of hope and making him feel better. After patting him on the shoulder, Erik turned his attention back to the rest of his team.
"Alright, everyone, back in the vehicles. We still have the rest of the plane to find." Erik's voice was calm and reassuring. He had to set an example to show that everything was under control.
As everyone climbed back into their respective armored cars, the atmosphere was tense, yet focused. As the engines roared to life, the convoy moved, leaving the Scorpidra carcass and the wreckage of the damaged vehicle behind.
With a sense of calmness enveloping him, Erik found himself in his seat, his eyes fixated on the ever-changing panorama stretching out before him. The search for the remaining components of the plane, along with its critically important cargo, was still in progress and far from being resolved.
<System. Show me the status.>
___________________________________________________
[Host Information]
NAME: Erik Romano
AGE: 17
POWER LEVEL: 374
SYSTEM LEVEL: 46
EXPERIENCE: 82040/115600
DNA POINTS: 23650
HEALTH: 3440/3440
MANA: 3370/3370
[Attributes]
STRENGTH: 176
INTELLIGENCE: 218
DEXTERITY: 156
ENERGY: 167
Available Attributes points: 0
[Powers]
[Biological Super Computer Powers]
-Brain Crystal Manipulation
-Brain Crystal Power Extraction (Allows the absorption of the brain crystal, making the host able to gain the power contained within. Notice: the DNA must be changed in order to allow the body to use the power. See DNA extraction.)
-Brain Crystal power Merging (Allows to merge two powers birthing a new one. It requires the merging of the DNA to work.)
-Brain Crystal Power Analysis (Allows to analyse the target brain crystal without the need to know the creature.)
- (LOCKED)
- Brain Crystal Power Strengthening (Allows the gaining of the energy attribute points)
- (LOCKED)
-DNA Manipulation
-DNA Extraction (Allows the absorption of foreign DNA, making the host able to replicate it inside his own body. Notice: Changing the DNA is a slow process, and it is required to use new brain crystal powers.)
-DNA Merging (Allows to merge two DNAs, birthing a new one. Required to accommodate merged powers.)
-DNA Analysis (Allows to analyse the enemy DNA from the distance for a better understanding of the target's stats.)
- (LOCKED)
-DNA Strengthening (Allows the gaining of the Strength, Intelligence, and Dexterity attribute points)
-(LOCKED)
- Analysis (Gives the host information about his surroundings, plants, creatures, and ores.)
-Brain Information Injector (It allows the injection of information directly to the brain. Based on touch)
-Device Manipulation (Allows the Host to manipulate electrical and mana-driven devices. Based on touch)
[Host's Powers]
-POISONOUS MANA DARTS: Cσ3D-RANKED (Conjure poisonous mana darts whose lethality depends on the mana injected)
-POISONOUS ASTRAL WOLF BITE: Cσ2D-RANKED (Conjure an astral but solid projection of a Leylarhad's head whose only aim is to bite at whatever target the host is aiming. Its teeth have a poisonous element whose toxicity depends on the mana used. Notice: the target must be close to the projection.)
-FORCE MANIPULATION: Cν1B-RANKED (Manipulate a mana-
driven force to produce powerful shockwaves that can change in intensity, radius, speed, and power. It is also possible to use the power differently as to generate force shields.)
-PARALLEL WILLS: Cν1C-RANKED (Allows the user to passively increase intelligence based on the number of neural links. It also allows the construction of a mana brain that allows independent thoughts and can be used for multiple purposes.)
-ICE SWORD: Cσ1E-RANKED (Allows creating a powerful ice blade, but needs a real weapon to be used as a base)
-STRENGTH ENHANCER: Cρ2D-RANKED (Depending on the amount of mana used, the amount of strength increases)
-PLANT MASTER: Cπ1B-RANKED (Allows to grow and control plant based organism. The usage depends on the plant and the user's will.)
-CHAMELEON VEIL: Cρ1C-RANKED (Allows to turn totally transparent and to project what is behind you, making it almost impossible to be seen. The user can move while using this Brain Crystal power. However, notice that the ripples in light the power creates while moving decrease the power's hiding abilities, increasing the chance of being seen.)
-BESTIAL ROAR: Cσ2C-RANKED (Allows to emit a roar that can instill fear into the surrounding creatures. It affects all but the user.)
-TARGET LOCK: Cσ3D-RANKED (Allows the user to lock onto the mana signature of a target in order to always find it.)
-CHIMERIC BIOMETAL SOLDIER: Cο2A-RANKED (This power allows the user to create a human-worms hybrid with 50% of the user's physical stats. The clones are permanent, but to make them, a lot of mana is necessary. They can't use brain crystal powers. The clone is born from an egg, and it takes a month for them to reach maturity after having hatched two weeks after the eggs were made. Before that, their physical stats are lower than 50% of the original's body. The clones are half as intelligent as the main body, but know everything the main body knows when he created them. They also have several biological abilities.)
-THELEPATHY: Cρ1C-RANKED (It allows Telepathic talk with creatures of the same species or similar DNA)
-SOLIDIFYING SLIME: Cσ1D-RANKED (It allows to produce a slimy substance whose viscosity, stickiness and quantity depends on the amount of mana used. The Slime can solidify and its hardness depends again on the mana used)
-AEROKYNESIS: Cσ1A-RANKED (This innate ability grants the wielder precise control over wind generation and manipulation. The potential of this power is intricately linked to the proficiency of the user, affording them the capacity for both offensive and defensive maneuvers, as well as the versatility to engage targets both near and far.)
[Skills]
Kyokar hand-to-hand style (ADVANCED) (A military fighting style developed in Frant)
Crypt of the Desert Style (ADVANCED) (Flyssa fighting style developed by Master Nieminen)
Etrium's sword style (INTERMEDIATE) (Basic Sword Style developed in Etrium.)
________________________________________
___________
The most uptodate nove𝙡s are published on fr(e)𝒆webnov(e)l.com