Chapter 18: Wings of Fire
After some time, his perseverance bore fruit. Ben detected the presence of a small group of beetles, each measuring about three inches in size. Their backs were adorned with a midnight black shell as they scurried about, gathering food for the upcoming winter. While the beetles were not particularly formidable opponents, their sturdy shells presented a challenge.
A focused expression settled on Ben's face as he singled out one beetle from the group. Utilising his agility, he dove down towards his chosen target, deftly outmanoeuvring the nimble creature. Closing in swiftly, he unleashed a precise blood needle attack, strategically aiming for the joints where the shell seemed weaker.
The blood needle found its mark, piercing through the beetle's black back and pinning it to the ground. The beetle emitted a series of angered chirps, retaliating with small fire sparks that caught Ben off guard.
"Ah, how could I forget?" Ben cursed himself inwardly as he braced for the impact. To his surprise, the spark of fire hit his blue ant armour, resulting in a small explosion that left deep scratches and a burning sensation behind.
"Damn you!" Ben cursed the beetle, launching three blood needle attacks successively, his anger fuelled by the burning sensation he was feeling through the armour with a constant decrease in HP.
"Ding"
[HP: 2.1/5.0]
The constant blood needles hit their mark, one by one, until finally a last attack served through the beetle's neck, ending its life for good.
...
[Mutant black beetles have been killed. Soul weapons have been obtained.]
...
[HP: 2.1/5.0]
The constant blood needles hit their mark, one by one, until finally a last attack served through the beetle's neck, ending its life for good.
[Mutant black beetles have been killed; consume their soul essence to obtain experience points.]
Ben didn't waste a single more second and instantly flew towards the fallen black beetle before using his 'Soul Drain Skill'.
[Soul Drain skill used: +20 Exp gained]
[Level: 8; Exp: 49/70]
[Soul essence obtained. Type: Weapon]
[Congratulations! You have obtained Low low-tier soul weapon, Beetle's Chitin Dagger. [Special property: Hot Strike: With each strike, the weapon will get hotter to a certain temperature.]
A surge of satisfaction washed over Ben; this was the first soul weapon he had in the world. He looked at the status page, which displayed a black curved dagger, similar to beetles horns. But just when he was about to summon the weapon, a thought hit his mind. How is he going to equip a dagger?
Soul equipment can adjust to their hosts needs and shapes. You can use it.]
"Sigh!" Ben sighed in relief; he almost thought that his new soul weapon would be useless for him. Without wasting any seconds, he chanted the name to summon the soul weapon.
"Beetle's chitin dagger"
As he called upon the dagger, a mysterious black liquid substance materialised out of thin air. It flowed towards his foremost right leg, seamlessly merging with the blue ant armour that adorned his limb.
To his astonishment, the black substance extended from his leg, transforming into a 2cm-long, sharp blade that perfectly matched his body's proportions. The blade had a sleek black and yellowish hue, bearing a resemblance to a small dagger. Ben swung his legs experimentally, testing the weight distribution and length, only to find them flawlessly suited to his movements.
Examining the blade more closely, Ben discovered its remarkable properties. The chitin material offered unmatched durability and resistance; it was clear to him that the strength of this material was similar to Purple Ant's Armour, but more on the flexible side. Furthermore, the dagger possessed a unique passive ability called "Heat Strike."
Filled with anticipation, Ben decided to test the cutting prowess of the beetle's chitin dagger on nearby tree trunks. With ease, the blade sliced through the thick bark as if it were butter, leaving behind clean and precise cuts.
The Heat Strike skill added an extra edge, causing the blade to heat up upon contact with enemies. But the skill didn't feel as useful since the dagger was barely getting any hotter. Maybe it was because of the low level of the weapon; what else can he expect from a low-tier weapon?
"This is precisely what I needed!" Ben exclaimed, his excitement fueling his adrenaline. Yet he couldn't ignore the fact that his HP was still insufficient for another battle. After careful consideration, he made the decision to retreat to the rabbit he had encountered earlier, intending to restore his HP before resuming his hunt.
However, when he arrived at the spot where he had slain the 'Riggid Rabbit,' all that remained were a few scattered bones. Ben clenched his teeth in frustration, realising he couldn't rely on an endless supply of blood from the rabbit.
Determined to replenish his HP, Ben made his way back to the waggon. It was already past midnight, and the sun would rise in barely a few hours.
Utilising his blood-tracing skill, he swiftly located the waggon; what made it even easier was the presence of a campfire in the middle of the forest. As he approached, he could see the two individuals next to the campfire; these were none other than the people who were driving the waggon.
As Ben closed the distance, he decided to listen to the conversation to find some information about this world. But unfortunately for him, the language they were talking in was a complete foreign language to Ben.
"?? ????? ???????? ???? ???? ?? ???, ??????? ?? ???? ?? ?????" One of them asked
"?? ??? ?????? ??? ?????, ???? ???? ??? ?? ?? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???? ??????????," the other replied.
Confusion washed over Ben as he scratched his head, unable to comprehend their language. He turned to the system for answers: "Hey system? Do you have any idea what they are talking about? Is this because of my mosquito ears? Is it really some other language?" Ben asked, scratching his head.
[Host, there is nothing wrong with your ears, but in fact they are really talking in a different language than yours.]
Realisation dawned on Ben, and he muttered to himself in panic, "Why didn't I consider this possibility? How can I help the elves if I can't communicate with them? I can't just buzz my plans into their ears!"
[...]
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶