In the Hole, Maalick was running away from the fight 'How can these things still be alive ?'
Behind him, 3 humanoid monsters were moving on all fours.
They were skinless, revealing their degraded muscles and they were drooling rotten blood at the sight of their dinner. This small group had been chasing Maalick since he heard them.
Despite his superior speed, the monsters always found him eventually 'I can't keep up this cat and mouse game forever. The Regeneration has already cost me a lot of energy.
The floor covered with corpses didn't help his situation. Because of their decomposing organic properties, they had become spongy.
'The ground doesn't help me ! I'm forced to slow my pace because of the many fluids that can make me slip !'
The SAS agent scanned his surroundings, but he could hardly see anything from 5m into the Hole 'Fuck ! Think Maalick! Think!'
In this desolate place, all he had around him were the objects he owned 'I have the outfit with hidden properties, Sadum leaves and a...'
Maalick was interrupted by the monsters roaring over a mountain of corpses.
He saw them eating a leg and an arm.
'Where is the third one ?'
Under a pile of corpses, the monster leapt at him. Caught by surprise, Maalick tried to prevent it from devouring his head.
The monster was bigger and stronger than the others. Physically, it had distinctive physical details that set it apart from the others, such as its skin that was slightly striped in white and black.
Its rotten blood was drooling on Maalick's numbers. Which hurt like hell as if he was being burned again "I'm... really sick of you !"
But he didn't give up. The soldier kicked him in the stomach to get him out.
Maalick didn't even give him time to get back on his feet, that he slashed him. He covered the front of his body with scratches, until he reached his organs.
[ You have killed an Algoule ]
[ You have gained 15 XP ]
[ Quest : Kill the Necrophages ]
[ The bloody murder of the leader of the ghouls, the Algoul. Allowed you to survive a little bit longer in the Hole ]
[ Kill the members of the ghoul's pack and the danger will be over, the time of your Moult ]
[ Kill 5 Ghouls : 0/5 ]
[ Reward : Reduction of the risk of disturbance during your Moult ]
[ Failure : Increasing of the risk of disturbance during your Moult ]
[ Time Left : 45min ]
Maalick checked the system directly before doing anything.
'Status'
[ Race : Lizardian ]
[ Number 274 ]
[ Level 0 : 35/100 XP ]
[ HP ] : 7/7 [ PM ] 7/7
[ Strength ] : 7
[ Resistance ] : 4 (-3)
[ Dexterity ] : 7
[Speed ] : 7
[ Stamina ] : 7
[ Perception ] : 7
[ Willpower ] : 7
[ Intelligence ] : 7
"The XP bar has increased a bit. But it's not enough to get me to level 1"
Maalick cleared his thoughts with this new informations '45min is exactly how long I have left before I Molt. I guess it's a pretty long process, since the description says there will be a "reduction of the risk of disturbance" '
Maalick wiped the blood from his claws on his outfit "I was going to kill the one on the mountain anyway. So I might as well do the quest at the same time"
But Maalick must have had a plan 'The problem is, how did they manage to track me down ?'
He examined the corpse of the beast, but it didn't tell him anything more. The Lizardian had no knowledge of monsters.
'I'd like to let go of the smell of my blood, but it's the only thing that keeps me alive. My blood... Wait, my blood ! That's the answer !'
Looking at his wound, he realized something 'My blood ! It's my blood they're after ! The smell must be strong and enticing enough for their leader to attack me without the help of the others"
He tore the sleeve of his outfit and soaked it "With this, I should be able to attract the ghouls in the area"
Maalick tried to put as much blood as possible on the piece of cloth, while trying to avoid the anemia.
With his bait finished, he put it in his Inventory.
Then the SAS agent approached the corpse of the algoule.
He picked up the rotting flesh and spread it on his wounded arm " It' s really disgusting" he said as he looked away.
The smell of his blood was almost impossible to detect, but he could barely smell it "Ghouls shouldn't be able to smell something that even I can't follow"
Now prepared, he crouched down and quietly moved towards the ghouls on the mountain.
Maalick took his time in order to avoid being spotted by their sense of smell or making a stupid noise.
The Lizardian climbed it without making a sound and by using the bodies as a grip. He was disgusted by himself for stepping on them 'I'm sorry for all this, but don't worry. You'll get justice'
But that allowed him to get behind the two beasts eating a corpse.
He discreetly moved towards them and simultaneously planted his two clawed hands in their necks.
The notification of their death which appeared twice in front of the candidate, took away a weight from him.
[ You have killed a Ghoul ]
[ You have received 5XP ]
Maalick pulled his Shrinking Claws from their bodies. He saw that the corpse they were devouring was that of the young man with glasses on the boat. His leg and arm had been consumed by the insatiable appetite of these monsters.
His eyes were still open, but Maalick took care to close them "May your soul rest in peace"
He put a Sadum leaf on his head so that he would find the eternal rest in this hell.
With his fist closed in anger, he went down the mountain and looked for the place where there were the most corpses.
He walked through death, alone and furious. He hadn't asked how long he had left in the System, yet he did.
[ Time left : 30min : 24sec ]
In his hellish walk, he found the most desecrated place since his fall. A fighting arena in which, Lizardians skeletons with dense bone structure sat in their seats.
Maalick could see that they were all victims of this world as he saw the corpses hugging each other.
His wrath rose even higher in his being.
Inside the arena, he saw that 6 ghouls were present.
His tongue began to make a serpentine motion "I'm going to kill them all"
He took out his bait and wrapped it in a piece of wood he had found nearby. He threw it with all his strength in the middle of the horror building.
His object was a good diversion. The monsters began to scurry toward their treat, even though it wasn't yet on the ground.
The monsters scrambled against each other and fought for a drop of his blood.
When the herd was gathered to his position, Maalick took action.
He leapt from the top of the arena and crushed the skull of the furthest ghoul in the group.
The others didn't even notice him. They were too busy trying to get the blood-stained piece of wood.
[ You have killed a ghoul ]
[ You have earned 5 XP ]
Maalick approached quietly but quickly, like a scout, toward his next target in his blind spot. She was standing back, in order to steal the one who was going to get the cloth. But the numbered one slit her throat before the fight was even over.
[ You killed a Ghoul ]
[ You have gained 5 XP ]
The falling body of the monster attracted the other 4. But Maalick did not back down. He moved forward in a calm and serene manner. At least on the outside. Because inside him, an uncontrollable wrath was running through his hands.
"Come on monsters ! I'll kill you all !"
The one on his right rushed towards him and tried to bite him. Maalick gave him an angry circular kick, sending him into the wall of the arena.
The Lizardian ran to the left ghoul to kill it, but the other two bit the only part of his body he didn't quite understand. His tail.
[ HP : 5/7 ]
'I'm losing my balance !'
The ghouls were unbalancing his position. Seeing this opportunity, the ghoul he had targeted charged at him.
By instinct and habit, he took a boxing stance and began to throw a jab into its jaw "Take that in your mouth !"
The 2 ghouls on his tail were chewing vigorously his member, and the one he had sent into the wall was starting to get up.
Maalick looked back at them. They were completely so absorbed by their slab that Maalick had time to throw a series of powerful jabs into what looked like their faces.
One of them fell under his devastating blows.
[ You have killed a Ghoul ]
[ You have gained 5 XP ]
The other dropped his bloody varan tail. The Lizardian brought it towards him and stepped back to see the damage 'I'm missing two big pieces of my tail'
One of the ghouls attacked his back, but Maalick put his guard up. He felt from his shoulder to his right arm, the claws of the monster piercing his skin.
[ HP : 4/7 ]
In the pain, his arm was a shield and the other a spear. The Lizardian used his arm as such and struck out with his claws while stretching his fingers. He undertook this attack until he saw the System notification.
[ You have killed a Ghoul ]
[ You have gained 5 XP ]
He gave a tired shoulder kick to move out the monster.
'I'm starting to reach my limit'
He didn't have much energy left as the other two ghouls charged at him. The SAS agent stepped back again and challenged them "What are you waiting for ?! Come and get me !"
He shook his battered arm to remove the decaying flesh and reveal the alluring smell.
One of the ghouls ran faster than the other, enticed by his green blood. It ran straight at him, but Maalick put a right hook on him that fractured his skull.
[ You killed a Ghoul ]
[ You have gained 5 XP ]
The last of the group stood up on its two legs and ran towards him in a bestial way.
Maalick threw three jabs to confuse it and a liver punch with his left that broke its posture. Then he finished the goule off with an uppercut, activating his claws of his hand, which pierced his head.
[ You killed a Ghoul ]
[ You have gained 5 XP ]
[ You have successfully completed the quest: Kill the Necrophages ]
[ Ghouls killed: 8/6 ]
[ Calculation of the new reward, in progress ]
[ New Reward : Risk of disruption reduced to 75% !]
Maalick fell to his knees, bloodied and surrounded by his victims. He looked at the ground and said breathlessly, "I hate this fucking world"
He remained in this position until the notification appeared in front of him.
[ Your Moult will begin ]
[ Duration of the transformation : 1 day ]
[ Beginning of the moult, in progress ]