The final tunnel was short and as usual dark. Within less than a minute, Jay had stepped into a new cave.
This cave like the one before had multiple entrances. This time two rather than three. With barely 23 hours left before the portal would close, he chose the left tunnel first.
Entering a barely lit room. Jay noticed nothing but a huge, flat rock in the middle of the cave. Looking around, no beast could be seen or heard.
"I better take a closer look just to be sure." he thought now walking towards the big rock.
Now standing on the big rock, red eyes in a strange position appeared before him. The eyes were attached to something invisible or rather camouflaged.
After picking up a few pebbles at his feet, Jay chucked them towards the eyes.
Now showing itself, a large chameleon stood barely five feet away from him. Jay was caught by surprise as the beast had just popped out of nowhere in front of him.
It was about the same size as the boar boss previously encountered. Green in color with grayish spikes along it's back and a long tail.
Now taking a standing performance, he held the tusk of the large boar like creature in his hands. Just like with the other beast, he stood there waiting for his opponent to make the first move.
However, the large chameleon also just stood there. It did not move an inch as it stared down it's challenger.
Knowing he had no time to waste if he wanted to explore the other tunnel, Jay quickly charged at the beast.
Jumping into the air, he aimed for the head of the slow to react beast. As he came crashing down, the beast did not attempt to take even a single step.
His attack was on point but he did not come in contact with the monster. Instead, he went right through it's body.
Jay was puzzled. "Was this it's unique skill?".
He quickly backed up to his original position and observed his still not moving opponent.
"Analyze" he commanded.
"No target Selected." replied The System.
"No target?" he asked as he could clearly see the beast before him. "Analyze" he commanded once more.
"No target selected." The System replied once more.
Now visibly confused, Jay decided to walk around the room and see if the beast would react. As he walked up and down, left to right, and even towards the beast, it made no movement.
Still puzzled, he gave up and left the cave. If he could not even touch the thing, then what would be the point in staying.
The right tunnel was much longer than the left. It was just as dark and just as dry. Unlike the other tunnels, this one did not open into another cave. The ceiling was sharp and looked quite unstable.
Further into the spacious tunnel, red glowing eyes similar to before could be seen. It stood there before disappearing and then reappeared closer than before.
"Another camouflaging beast?." Jay whispered.
Expecting an attack, Jay prepared by getting into his sloppy stance. The red eyes now glowing just a few feet away.
Lunging towards the beast, feelings of pure shock and terror appeared within Jay's mind.
What he saw as he approached the beast, was something he was not expecting at all. It was the same chameleon like beast as in the left tunnel.
"How did it get here?" he wondered as he stopped his attack and backed away.
"Let's try this again. Analyze".
[Name: Multis Talpa]
[Weakness: Chin]
[Strength: 15]
[Stamina: 15]
[Agility: 15]
[Health: 20]
This time, the stats of the beast could be seen. What was different this time than the last?
On high alert, Jay looked around as carefully as he could for any indication on where the beast would appear. The ceiling was sharp and the beast would most likely avoid it.
Four red eyes now stood in front of him.
Jumping back out of pure instinct, Jay soon noticed yet another Multis Talpa standing before him. While one disappeared, the other stood still not moving.
"My best shot is to take out one as fast as possible."
Charging at the beast that stood still, he swung the tusk weapons in his hands upward into the bottom of it's head which is where it's weakness was located.
The tusk went straight through as if slicing into the air. It was just like in the previous cave.
He quickly jumped back.
"I don't understand" he thought as anger started to bubble within him.
Once again he charged at the beast, swinging as fast as he could over and over. His strikes all came into contact with nothing but air as if he was once again hallucinating.
From behind, a large tail rammed into his side.
His body crashed into the stone wall causing blood to trickle down the back of his head and neck.
"System, any info you can give me?"
As if waiting for a request, The System answered his call.
"The Multis Talpa can camouflage with it's surroundings. However, that is not it's skill but a natural ability of the species. The Multis Talpa's true skill allows it to create a clone of itself. The clone however, cannot move."
"So that's it? I was being tricked this whole time by a damn overgrown chameleon."
The clone remained in the spot as before while the real creature stood right next to it.
"22 hours left before the portal closes" The System rang within his mind.
Dashing towards the real Multis Talpa, Jay leapt into the air before stabbing down a tusk as hard as he could. It penetrated into the top of the beast but had no real effect.
Shaking off it's opponent, the beast attempted to camouflage with it's surroundings once more but the tusk atop it's head was still visible.
Knowing where the beast was while it was camouflaged allowed Jay to react faster. Running towards the beast's location, he swung the second tusk upwards into the chin of the Talpa.
The Talpa did not stop moving as he pulled the tusk out before stabbing it in again.
The beast screeched as loud as it could. Green blood gushed out of the holes in it's chin as it collapsed on the floor. It was over, he had killed the beast.
With a grin on his face, Jay prepared to use his plunder ability to steal the somewhat mediocre clone skill from the now dead beast.
"Plund-" he yelled before passing out.
Opening his eyes, Jay was soon greeted by a message from The System. "10 hours before the portal closes."
10 hours? Had he really been unconscious for 12 hours?
Popping up to his feet as quick as he could, Jay felt refreshed. Was it cause he healed a bit while passed out? Was it The System's doing?
He observed his surroundings. The corpse of the chameleon like beast remained in it's position. The tusk still in it's head.
Now standing over the corpse of the beast, he laid his hands on it's head. "Plunder" he yelled as the red like energy appeared and disappeared into his body.
"New Skill: Clone" said The System.
"This skill allows the host to create one clone of himself. This clone will not move. Skill can be leveled up over time, allowing the host to not only create more clones but also make them move."
If he leveled it up, he would be able to make more clones and even move them?
"That's amazing!" he thought now walking out of the tunnel.
"The target's stats were all equal. Strength has been selected by default and therefore one strength stat has been added to the host.
Eventually, Jay arrived back at the portal within the "boss room". He left behind the tusk because it would definitely draw the attention of others on the outside.
In order to not get mistaken for a demon once again, Jay removed the black and red robe from his body.
Now he only had the clothes from his old world. A black sweatpants and white tank top. Fortunately, he wore slippers at the time or he would be bare foot.
Finally, he entered the portal. It was finally time to go back to the surface.
Author's note: I never did mention what he wore in chapter one before waking up in this world. Therefore, I made an outfit on the spot. In addition, if you find an error, let me know. :)