[Petra Tentacle> Type: Grappler >> Fighter {100%}]
[Petra Tentacle is ready for a power up, better not think about it too much. The process isn't instant and going for it now would only render it unusable for a couple of hours.]
'I see. Regardless, I think it wouldn't help me as much, ahahaha.'
Neither the giant grave nor the beautiful glass art upon the ceiling was safe from the corruption and degradation into absolute nothing or darkness.
The monster lengthened its neck, malforming the noble knight husk that was thirsting for an end. Rapidly, the dark flesh layered the degraded white armor.
What was supposed to be the full helmet of the knight was opening its elongated jaw, eerily creating a shriek of rusted steel that was smashed by a lump of meat.
A pair of red eyes protruded from the side of its head, creating a dragon-like image with the nasty body of an unholy creature.
It gazed upon Jack. Precisely, the long glaive that Jack was barely holding with one arm as the blade kissing the ground. It looked like so but when Jack dug into the creature's stare, it was as if the gaze were looking into somewhere else—somewhere longing and out of this world.
The stare of the blind
"The hell is happening…"
[It would be dandy if I knew what was happening as well. Apparently, this gruesome transformation had fortified the firewall of this creature's existence. The information that I've gathered has been already locked within its defensive mechanism as well_
[This might be obvious, and I know that you've already suspected it too_
[Cruciatus' weapon in your hand is the key, but your current state is not suitable for this fight. I think I can start cracking the code once again. In the meantime, try your hardest to survive_
[And don't aggro the creature yet. The glaive attracted its attention but it doesn't know that you exist. Keep that in mind.]
"So how much time do I have?"
[Ten minutes, that is my fastest bet. By the time you reached that milestone, I would already have an information ready_
[The information to kill that thing.]
"I trust you." Jack forced a wry smile.
The creature closed its eyes, emitting numerous glowing small substances that wafted in random directions. Some of them were already on their way to Jack's location.
[Right timing from the information I've just cracked. Jack, don't let the 'soul' touch you.]
"Those are souls!?" Jack was so surprised that he forgot to speak more quietly. Noticing his blunder, he then softly whispered. "Wait, is it okay to speak?"
[My digital strings didn't capture any sound perception from that creature. It's safe to assume that the creature is deaf_
[Also, as for your first question, they are tarnished souls, to be exact.]
Jack tried his best to look at the dancing tarnished souls' pattern. He then dodged and moved his way out of any sticky situation accordingly. The abomination still closed its eyes, which was relieving psychologically. Although, something could be seen creeping out from it onto the platform beneath the creature.
"What would happen if the tarnished souls touched me?"
[They would invade and create a host out of your flesh, and immediately sprawl into your guts and brain. In just a second, your body will gruesomely explode.]
After hearing that, Jack added more space between the incoming tarnished souls, out of fear from the foreboding outcome.
One minute had passed.
Nine minutes left.
Jack thought that it would all be easy to survive if all he had to do was to play bullet-hell on the easiest difficulty with his body. But of course, there was no way that something as outrageous like this wouldn't go wrong.
Murphy's law took its place.
Some of the crawling flesh on the platform formed a peculiar structure to that of a cannon. As soon as it aimed itself in Jack's direction, he knew that it would not end very well.
"Seriously!?"
A hot purple plasma was blasted away from its organic barrel. Jack didn't have much stamina left to perform any kind of instant evasive maneuver.
He merely crouched while leaning to the side as he threw his whole body, minding the existence of destructive shiny things wafting around—he was able to dodge it although not fully as his shoulder got hit by the purple projectile, launching him a few meters rolling on the ground. He had already had his octopus limb latching on the glaive so that it wouldn't get propelled anywhere else.
Thankfully, he didn't make contact with any of the will-o-wisps on his rolling journey.
Jack was ready to welcome the pain but it seemed like it won't be coming anytime soon. As the anti-heat protein wore off most of the thermal damage. The only thing that was hurting him was the shockwave.
"If that projectile is the same as the tarnished souls, I would be dead," said Jack with a deadpan.
It won't get worse, he thought. Until, he noticed that the unholy creature started to open its eyes again.
This time, the monster didn't see through Jack nor the glaive.
It finally knew that Jack existed.
Numerous giant appendages sprouting behind the abomination began to dance and waved. Jack immediately stood up as he sensed a malicious killing intent directed at him.
Until one moment, one of the tendrils smashed the ground.
Seven minutes left.
Even though his feet could no longer move, his eyes weary and his limbs started to feel the dread of being commanded by the unmovable fortitude of Jack's mind—he moved. Because if he didn't, he would die.
As he forced his legs to leap away from the monster's strike, he could feel his nerves screaming for him to stop. Blood could be seen occupying the stressed vein.
In just one explosive movement needed for survival, Jack felt like he wanted to stab himself and end everything in this instance. But the dark monster didn't only attack him once.
A barrage of attack was sent, together with numerous flesh turrets that were spraying purple plasma projectiles at him. At that time, he knew that moving alone didn't guarantee much safety to him.
Jack started to slash any incoming protruding body part of the monster. His right hand switched back and forth with his tentacle to grip the weapon.
He moved and danced in sorrowful pain. All together while avoiding the patrolling tarnished souls. After a while, he forced his left hand to move again.
"AAAAAARGHHH!!"
With his right hand latching on the Cruciatus' glaive like his life depends on it, Jack created a flaming stone on his tentacle. But this time, he won't use it as a projectile.