Chapter 1150 The Ancient Beast's Weakness
Michael, with the fur and skin of the invisible panthers securely stored, turned his attention back to the original objective – the colossal centipede-like ancient beast. With a sense of purpose, he took to the skies, flying closer to where the creature was last seen.
As he approached, he maintained a safe distance, keenly aware of the beast's immense power and unpredictability. The ancient beast was a sight to behold, its enormous body stretching far across the landscape. Its movements were a blend of elegance and raw power, drilling into the ground and shooting out with astonishing speed and agility, defying its colossal size.
The centipede's segmented body was covered in a thick, chitinous armor, each segment adorned with sharp, spine-like protrusions. Its many legs, each the size of tall trees, dug into the ground with ease, propelling the beast with a force that shook the earth.
As Michael observed from his vantage point, he noted the centipede's head, which was as terrifying as the rest of its body. Its mouth, large enough to swallow a small house, was filled with rows of razor-sharp teeth, each one capable of shredding metal. He had briefly considered a plan to fly directly into the creature's mouth in a surprise attack, but the sight of those menacing teeth quickly dissuaded him from such a risky approach.
Ayag, peeking out from Michael's pocket, commented with a mixture of awe and fear, "Look at the size of that thing! It's like something out of a nightmare."
Sarba, equally impressed and apprehensive, added, "Its movements are so unpredictable. It disappears and reappears without warning."
Michael nodded, his eyes never leaving the beast. "Its burrowing ability makes it a difficult target. We need to be cautious."
He watched as the centipede drilled into the ground once again, only to burst out a few moments later in a different location. The sheer power and speed of its movements sent debris and dust flying into the air, creating a cloud around its emergence point.
Michael, analyzing the situation, said, "We need to find a pattern in its movements. There must be a way to predict where it will surface next."
As he strategized, the centipede continued its display of power. It seemed to be searching for something, its massive body moving with purpose across the valley.
Ayag, observing the creature, remarked, "If we can get close enough, maybe you can use those dark swords of yours. But getting past those teeth..."
Michael acknowledged the challenge with a nod. "The teeth are a problem. A direct assault seems unwise. We need another approach."
He continued to watch the beast, looking for any sign of weakness or pattern in its movements. The centipede's size and power were daunting, but Michael was determined to find a way to overcome it.
Cain, weighing in on their options, remarked, "Jumping into its mouth and killing it from the inside is a cliché way of dealing with such creatures."
Ayag immediately complained, "It's not cliché, it's classic and badass."
Cain retorted, "It's not badass if he gets melted and burnt by the acid inside its mouth."
Sarba, curious, interjected, "What acid?"
"Look closer into its mouth next time it comes out of the ground," Cain instructed.
The group focused intently on the centipede's mouth as it resurfaced. As the creature opened its massive jaws, they could see a pale greenish substance lining its teeth and dripping from its maw. The acidic nature of the substance was evident, even from a distance, as it sizzled and steamed upon contact with the ground.
The revelation of the acidic nature of the creature's saliva added another layer of danger to any approach that involved close contact with its mouth. Michael knew that a direct assault, especially one that involved entering the beast's mouth, would be extremely risky, potentially even fatal.
Michael, considering his options, suggested, "Let's try a hit-and-run tactic to gauge the sturdiness of the centipede's armor."
"Given its size, it might not be able to react quickly enough. That should work in our favor." Cain agreed.
Gripping his dark swords tightly, Michael activated his Lightning Dash, propelling himself towards the creature at incredible speed. A trail of black lightning bolted behind him, marking his path through the sand.
Reaching the centipede, Michael swung his dark swords, now coated with dark flames, aiming for the creature's tail. However, when his blades made contact, they merely bounced off the armor without leaving so much as a scratch. The centipede's chitinous armor was far more formidable than they had anticipated.
Reacting swiftly, Michael used his speed to retreat back to his vantage point before the centipede could counterattack. He had managed to test the creature's defenses without putting himself in immediate danger.
Ayag, witnessing the failed attack, gasped in disbelief, "It didn't even notice us!"
The centipede, seemingly unfazed by their attempts, continued its movements, unaware or indifferent to their presence. Michael, assessing the situation, declared, "We need a new plan." He scanned the barren landscape, noting the countless giant holes created by the centipede's relentless drilling. The creature's methodical burrowing hinted at a potential vulnerability they hadn't yet considered.
"There must be some weakness we can exploit," he mused aloud, his eyes tracing the patterns of destruction left by the creature.
Ayag, still reeling from the ineffectiveness of their previous attack, chimed in, "That weakness better be a big one because it didn't even notice us!"
Michael continued to observe the centipede, his mind working through various strategies. The creature's behavior, the environment, and the physical characteristics they had observed so far were all pieces of a puzzle that needed solving.
He watched as the centipede burrowed into the ground once again, its massive body disappearing beneath the surface, leaving behind another gaping hole. A thought struck him; the creature, for all its size and power, followed a somewhat predictable pattern in its burrowing and surfacing.
"Perhaps we can use its burrowing pattern against it," Michael suggested, a new plan beginning to take shape in his mind. "If we can anticipate where it will surface next, we might be able to set a trap or strike at a more vulnerable spot."
The idea of turning the creature's strength into its weakness appealed to Michael. He knew they needed to be innovative and daring if they were to have any chance of defeating the ancient beast.
Cain, contemplating the situation, pointed out a crucial aspect. "Even if we find a weakness, which I believe every beast has, we still need a way to actually hurt it."
Ayag, her tone laced with concern, added, "Since the dark swords coated with dark flames aren't cutting it, we're really in trouble."
Sarba, offering a suggestion, said, "Maybe we should try getting a piece of the centipede's armor. If we can't pierce it, perhaps we could make armor out of it."
Michael considered this idea but maintained his focus on the immediate challenge. "First, we need to find its weakness and the pattern of its burrowing," he said.
He observed the centipede's movements, noting the rhythm of its emergence and disappearance into the ground. The creature seemed to have preferred spots for burrowing, and its timing appeared consistent.
"If we can predict where it'll surface next, we might be able to prepare an ambush," Michael reasoned. "And as for harming it, we need to be creative. Our conventional methods aren't working, so we need to think outside the box."
The group acknowledged the need for a new approach. The centipede, with its nearly impenetrable armor and massive size, was a formidable opponent, and overcoming it would require strategy, patience, and a bit of ingenuity.
Michael stood silently, his eyes fixed on the centipede as it continued its pattern of randomly burrowing in and out of the holes it had created in the ground. He observed each movement with keen interest, looking for any pattern or sign that could be exploited.
As the sun began to set and the light diminished, Michael noticed a change in the centipede's behavior. Its movements became slower, less frequent. The setting sun cast long shadows across the valley, signaling the transition from day to night.
When the sun finally disappeared below the horizon, the valley was enveloped in the tranquility of the night sky. A blanket of stars illuminated the heavens, casting a serene glow over the once chaotic landscape. The beauty of the starry sky and the silent valley stood in stark contrast to the day's earlier events.
To Michael's surprise, the centipede did not emerge once the sun had set. The creature that had been so active and relentless during the day seemed to have vanished with the night.
Reflecting on this new development, Michael speculated, "It's either sleeping, or it's afraid to come out at night."
The realization that the centipede might have a nocturnal vulnerability or preference was a crucial piece of information. Nighttime in the valley brought a different set of dynamics, and understanding these could be key to planning their next move.
"If it's sleeping, we could throw an explosive into one of those holes. That should bring it out. But if it's not sleeping and still not coming out, then maybe night time is its weakness." Ayag, always ready with a bold idea, suggested.
Cain pondered this, adding another layer to their speculation. "Or it could be afraid of something else that roams the valley at night. Something that even scares an ancient beast like itself."
Michael considered both possibilities. The idea that the centipede might have a fear of the dark or nocturnal predators opened up new strategic possibilities. "Both are plausible theories," he said. "If it's avoiding night predators, we need to be cautious of what else might be lurking in this valley after dark."
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