The sound of the plasma saw tearing through rotten flesh was like a macabre symphony.
I screamed in fury as the incandescent blade spun horizontally, shredding the two Mud Demons before they could react. Their viscous bodies broke apart like a sack of spoiled entrails, spreading foul entrails throughout the cave. The sour smell of putrid blood filled the air, mixing with the oppressive humidity of the underground nest.
But my anger had not yet subsided.
I lifted my mechanical leg and brought it down violently on the skull of one of the dead creatures. A sickening crack echoed through the tunnel as the hard shell exploded into fragments of bone and hardened mud. The other met the same fate—a brutal, crushing blow.
"Filthy bitches," I muttered, spitting on the ground.
The already scarce air became even heavier. I was gasping, my lungs burning, the world spinning around me. Stars danced in my peripheral vision and a strange sensation crawled under my skin.
Shit.
My mind screamed in alert. It wasn’t exhaustion. I had been poisoned.
The strange tickling sensation intensified, spreading from the small cuts on my body. My heart sank. The claws of those creatures were poisoned.
I fumbled through my pockets with trembling hands, grabbing a small, cold bottle. Antidote.
Without hesitation, I tore off the cork and poured the contents into my mouth. The bitter liquid slid down my throat, burning like cheap alcohol, but within seconds the numbness began to recede.
I took a deep breath, regaining control. There were still strong vibrations echoing through the tunnel. The battle in the swamp raged on. I still had time.
If Luxiria and Lity were busy, then I could take a look at what these disgusting abominations were hiding down here.
After all... no thief leaves empty-handed.
With a quick thought, I activated the Virtual Lab in my mind.
"Virtual lab, activate night vision and start environmental analysis."
["Beep!"]
["Activating night vision..."]
["Starting analysis..."]
My eyes blinked green, sweeping the cave. With the darkness dispelled, I could see better what was around me.
The "treasure" of these creatures was exactly what I expected: a heap of garbage.
There were pieces of rotten flesh, corroded metal weapons, remnants of old armor, and strange roots with a horrible stench. Nothing valuable... until something caught my attention.
In the middle of the pile of filth, a small sphere glowed faintly. Something was buried beneath bones and old leather.
I approached, carefully digging until I retrieved a round, slightly pulsating crystal. As soon as I touched it, a shiver ran down my spine.
"This... Can’t be..."
My breath caught in my throat.
"Virtual lab, analyze this item!"
["Beep!"]
The scanning light passed over the crystal, projecting information directly before me.
["Emerging Core of a Mud Spirit detected!"]
["Similarity above 99%"]
My hand clenched around the crystal as a whisper escaped my lips: "Shit."
This item... was priceless.
Spirit Cores were essential ingredients for almost every magical profession in the world. A stable source of energy, with minimal intelligence and the ability to evolve.
Even for over 2,000 magical crystals, these cores were snapped up instantly on the market. They were so rare that, even with money, it was almost impossible to obtain one.
And now I had one.
If it weren’t for Lity bringing me to this damn swamp, I would have never gotten my hands on this. In the end, maybe I should even thank her.
I smiled and shoved the crystal into my waist pocket, making sure it stayed secure.
But there was no more time to lose.
Like any decent hideout, this nest had more than one exit.
It was obvious Luxiria knew the saying: "A clever rabbit has three holes in its burrow." But today, this setup was working in my favor.
I looked around, evaluating the options. One of the tunnels seemed to lead directly back to the muddy lake at the heart of the swamp — not a smart choice. Another, smaller and damp, seemed to descend to an even deeper location.
But there was a third.
A narrow, tight path that led to the far side of the swamp. The perfect route for a part-time thief like me.
Without wasting any more time, I slipped into the wet tunnel, disappearing into the darkness.
Foll𝑜w current novℯls on ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm.
The thick sludge broke with a wet sound as my head slowly emerged from the surface of the muddy lake.
The metal helmet of my armor was covered in dirt and moss, camouflaging me perfectly with the environment around me. The viscous mud dripped in sticky strands as I kept only the upper part of my face exposed, my eyes scanning the area around me.
Silence.
Or rather, the silence that a chaotic swamp could offer.
In the distance, I could hear the furious roars of the Mud Demons and the muffled explosions of the underground battle. The surface of the lake still bubbled occasionally, the result of the intense fight happening beneath the thick mud.
Luxiria must be going crazy.
I smiled inwardly. If my bet was correct, Lity was launching unpredictable space attacks, torturing those abominations who had kidnapped me. This meant that, at least for now, I was safe.
The muddy lake where I emerged was likely home to some Mud Demons, but the frenzy of battle had drawn them away. With no resistance, this was the perfect moment to escape.
I took a deep breath.
The dense swamp mist entered the armor filters, laden with the stench of decay and dead vegetation. I moved slowly, swimming with subtle movements toward the edge of the lake. The fewer ripples, the better.
I never wanted to see that damn scary chocolate-colored MILF again, but I can’t deny that I wish I could feel her sitting on my dick. A MILF as arrogant as her would be a pleasure to have on top of me, trying to dominate my penis.
["Roll to the right!"]
The alert from the Virtual Lab exploded in my mind like a gunshot.
Without hesitation, I threw myself to the side.
BOOOM!!
Behind me, the muddy water exploded violently.
My vision caught a grotesque blur emerging from the sludge: a venomous land shark, its grotesque mouth wide open, filled with rows of serrated black teeth.
Shit.
Everything happened too fast. The creature shot forward like a spear, its deadly jaw snapping shut exactly where I had been seconds before.
As my body spun in the murky water, I saw the teeth collide with force, making a dry, slicing sound.
The beast’s putrid breath flooded my senses, making every hair on my body stand on end.
If it weren’t for the Chip alert...
If I had hesitated for a second...
That thing would have bitten straight through my armor.
And if the armor were damaged, I would have to abandon it.
That would be more than bad. It would be a nightmare.
The venomous land shark stared at me with insatiable hunger, its jaws snapping shut like a giant trap, its sharp teeth ready to tear anything in its path.
I barely managed to dodge in time, but now the creature was preparing to strike again. Its body, covered in thick, sticky scales, was charged with a threatening energy. It spat a jet of acid, the viscous, corrosive liquid hissing as it hit the water around me, creating an explosion of steam.
Shit.
I activated the armor to its maximum capacity, the energy pulsing in the core in my chest.
The sound of the reactor vibrating was almost deafening. The water around me started to boil, creating violent waves of steam and foam that made it harder to see but gave me an advantage. The heat intensified, forcing the shark to retreat a little, still spitting acid in an attempt to catch me.
I didn’t have time to hesitate.
The shark lunged again, claws and teeth ready to rip. I crouched, dodging to the left while the scent of burnt acid filled the air. The movement was almost instinctive, my body working faster than my mind. When the shark was within fatal reach, I pressed the button for the spinning blade of the armor, activating the plasma saw.
"VRRRR-CLANK!"
The blade spun ferociously, slicing the shark in half with a deafening crash.
Blood and entrails scattered in the murky lake water, red like a macabre mist that mixed with the sludge.
But there was no time to celebrate.
As soon as the fresh blood touched the water, more sharks began to emerge, drawn by the scent of carnage. The water’s surface bubbled as the creatures attacked with even greater ferocity.
I was surrounded.
My mind began to work at full speed. I had to fight for my life. I couldn’t afford to be devoured.
I dodged and struck, more sharks coming toward me. In a single movement, I released a series of cuts with the plasma blade, causing the sharks to explode into pieces, their parts scattering through the water.
But they didn’t stop.
Each movement became a matter of life or death, my body drenched in sweat, the virtual lab alerts popping up with every vibration in the water. I avoided the acid they spat, the water boiling, and the pressure of their attacks forcing me to fight relentlessly.
When I finally managed to break through their line of attack and move to a shallower area, I took a deep breath and looked at them. These bastards could swim on land, but they didn’t dare chase me because Luxiria’s call was still echoing at high frequency through the water.
...
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