As the mission's first wave commenced, Sig felt a sudden surge of energy fill the room. A faint, pulsing glow appeared in the center, gradually intensifying until it materialized into a monster. Sig couldn't see it clearly, but he could make out its figure amidst the ripples of water that filled the room.
The monster was a small, impish creature with scaly green skin and beady yellow eyes. Its jagged teeth gleamed menacingly as it snarled at Sig and the other player through the glass wall. Its spindly arms and legs gave it a lanky appearance, and it wielded a set of sharp-looking nails.
A prompt appeared in front of them, identifying the monster as a [Lesser Fishman]. It let out a guttural growl as it charged towards him, its movements clumsy and uncoordinated. Even though it was a relatively weak monster, Sig and Alex couldn't afford to let their guard down. They knew each subsequent wave would be even tougher than the last.
As the fishmen charged towards him, he quickly swung his wooden stick in a wide arc, hitting the creature in the side. The impact sent the fishmen flying slightly backward, but it quickly got back on its feet and resumed its attack.
He then realized that the fishmen was not particularly fast, so he kept his distance and waited for an opening. As the creature lunged forward, he dodged to the side and delivered a sharp blow to its back, causing it to stumble.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, he swung his wooden stick again, impaling the fishmen square in the eye. The monster let out a screech of pain and collapsed on the ground, its body disintegrating into a cloud of mist.
Sig breathed a sigh of relief as the mist dissipated, signaling the end of the first wave. He knew that the next waves would only get tougher, so he took a moment to catch his breath and prepare for what was to come.
The other player approached Sig after finishing off the fishmen on his side with a knife. He expressed his surprise at Sig's fighting skills, considering that he was blind.
"I must say, I'm quite taken aback. I've never seen a blind man fight so well. It was like watching a wuxia film," he said.
Having grown up in the slums, he was accustomed to fighting for survival despite his visual impairment. While he wasn't an expert fighter, he managed to pick up a few fighting tricks here and there to defend himself. With the innate ability provided to him, he was able to perform maneuvers that would be impossible for a normal blind man, displaying an impressive level of control matching most average fighters that could see.
Sig nodded in appreciation at the other player's remark. He knew that he had to keep up his guard, though, as the second wave was about to begin. Suddenly, the water began to ripple once again, and this time, the surge of energy was even stronger than before. Sig tensed, preparing for whatever monster would appear this time.
As the glow in the center of the room intensified, a larger and more menacing creature took shape. This time, it was a beast with matted fur, razor-sharp claws, and teeth that glinted in the dim light. Its eyes gleamed with malice as it let out a deafening roar, sending shivers down their spine.
[Dire Wolf]
He could hear the wolf's heavy breathing and the rustling of its fur as it moved through the water. He could even smell its putrid breath and the scent of wet fur.
The monster charged towards him. He swung his stick with all his might, hoping to hit the creature before it could get too close. The wolf, however, was much faster and more agile than the fishmen, and it easily dodged the attack. In turn, the wolf quickly countered and a sudden sharp pain on his leg could be felt. Looking down, he saw that the wolf's teeth had grazed his skin, leaving behind a shallow cut that was now bleeding.
He gritted his teeth as he backed away from the wolf, his leg throbbing with pain. The wolf circled him, its eyes locked onto him as if it were waiting for the right moment to strike again.
Sig swung his stick again in a untimely manner, but the wolf was too quick for him. It darted to the side, avoiding the attack before lunging at him once more. This time, it aimed for his arm, sinking its teeth deep into his flesh. Cries of pain could be heard from him, his strength waning with it. He stumbled backwards, trying to shake the wolf off, but it held on tightly. Finally, with a burst of adrenaline, he managed to pry the wolf's jaws open and free himself from its grip. But the damage was done.
Blood trickled down his arm, mixing with the sweat on his skin. He could feel his body weakening, and he knew he couldn't take many more hits like that if he wanted to survive the remaining three waves. He could hear the other player fighting on the other side of the glass wall, but he couldn't spare a moment to check on him.
The second wave was proving to be much more challenging than the first, and Sig knew he had to focus if he wanted to make it through alive. He gritted his teeth and readied himself for the wolf's next attack, determined not to let it get the best of him.
As the wolf lunged towards him for a third time, Sig planted his feet firmly on the ground and held his wooden stick with his unharmed arm. This time, he waited for the wolf to get closer before he struck. With a swift motion, he plunged the stick down the wolf's throat, impaling it on the process.
The wolf let out a bloodcurdling howl as it thrashed about in agony, trying to shake him off. But Sig held on tight, determined as he waited for the wolf to take its last breath. Finally, the wolf went limp, with it he withdrew his stick from its lifeless body.
Panting heavily, Sig looked around the room, trying to catch his breath and assess the situation. He could see the hologram's display announcing the start of the third wave, and he knew that he had to stay alert if he wanted to survive. Then a sudden realization came to him.
'What if...!'