Three days had passed since the epic battle against the goblin tribe. Aurora and Sebastian had been busy hunting goblins and wolves in the forest, using the time to improve their skills and strengthen themselves. Their teamwork had improved, and they were growing more and more confident in each other.
During this time, Sebastian felt himself growing more powerful, and Aurora, with great curiosity about how strong they had become, decided to ask the system.
"System, show us our stats," Aurora said as she shouted.
[Dungeon Master, there's no need to shout for the system to respond to your requests. You can even request it mentally] the system suggested with its monotonous voice.
At this moment, Aurora felt his face burning with embarrassment due to the misunderstanding he had. Shortly after the system's words sounded, a semi-transparent screen appeared before Aurora and Sebastian.
[- Species: Cosmic Devourress
Class: Celestia Drakonis (Sealed)
Subclass: Dungeon Master
Level: 5
Health: 2000
Mana: 1750
AGL (Agility): 200
VIT (Vitality): 250
INT (Intelligence): 250
STA (Stamina): 200
STR (Strength): 250
DEF (Defense): 200
Status: Amnesia]
[- Species: Human
Class: Botanist
Subclass: Dungeon Administrator
Level: 8
Health: 960
Mana: 640
AGL (Agility): 64
VIT (Vitality): 96
INT (Intelligence): 96
STA (Stamina): 64
STR (Strength): 96
DEF (Defense): 96
Status: Healthy]
"Indeed, Aurora, you are a monster in sheep's clothing," Sebastian said, throwing Aurora a look of helplessness.
Aurora looked at Sebastian with amusement and arrogance. "Hahaha, now you know how amazing I am."
During this time, they had been relentlessly hunting goblins and wolves, as they were the weakest beasts and the ones that had the largest numbers in the forest.
"All right, Aurora, despite your ridiculously high stats, you shouldn't get overconfident, or something could go wrong. Always pay attention to your surroundings and never underestimate your enemies."
"Don't worry, Sebastian. I feel like I'm getting better at fighting. I feel my movements becoming more fluid, as if I'm already getting some practice with the sword. Killing goblins doesn't cost me as much anymore."
"Good, but still, don't let your guard down. Now let's continue hunting goblins."
As they were exploring the forest in search of new creatures, Aurora and Sebastian's keen eyes spotted a scattered group of goblins in the distance. Curiosity led them to stealthily follow the goblins, hoping to discover the location of their base.
As Aurora and Sebastian quietly followed the goblins, they noticed that the goblins were heading towards a nearby lake. The whisper of the wind through the trees and the rustling of leaves under their feet accompanied their stealthy advance.
As they approached the lake, the grunts and malicious laughter of the goblins became more audible. The full moon shone in the night sky, illuminating the scene unfolding before Aurora and Sebastian's eyes.
Suddenly, the water in the lake began to churn violently, and a monstrous creature emerged from the depths. Crustalith rose before them, its shiny exoskeleton reflecting the moonlight. The unsuspecting goblins found themselves face to face with the aquatic abomination.
Aurora's eyes widened as she witnessed the ferocity with which Crustalith lunged at the goblins. Its angular head, adorned with sharp spikes, tilted forward as it opened its jaws to reveal rows of sharp teeth. Its crushing claws waved in the air, ready to tear its prey apart.
The goblins, armed with their spears and swords, attempted to defend themselves bravely. But Crustalith was too powerful. With a swift movement, one of its claws ripped off a goblin's head, scattering blood across the pristine lake. Another goblin was caught in the beast's jaws and swallowed in a single gulp.
The sounds of battle resonated in the air: the scraping of Crustalith's claws, the screams of the goblins as they fought for their lives, and the clash of their weapons against the monster's exoskeleton. Aurora and Sebastian watched in a state of shock, assimilating the brutality of the battle unfolding before them.
The lake was tinged with red as Crustalith devoured the goblins with voracity. The blood of its victims stained its carapace and dripped from its jaws, creating a grotesque and terrifying sight. The few remaining goblins attempted to escape, but their efforts were in vain. Crustalith pounced on them with surprising speed, crushing them with its claws or overwhelming them under its imposing weight.
With a swift motion, the creature unleashed a beam of blue energy from its mouth, slicing through the air with supernatural speed. The beam of energy struck the goblins, enveloping them in an explosion of light and power. The bodies of the small beings disintegrated on the spot, scattering their remains into the air and the surrounding lake. Blood and pieces of flesh floated in the water, creating a macabre and desolate image.
"Oh my God, Sebastian! Look at that!" exclaimed Aurora, pointing at the scene in horror.
Before making any decisions, Sebastian channeled a bit of mana into the evaluation stone and discreetly aimed it at the creature, which displayed the following statistics.
[Species: Monster
Class: Crustalith
Subclass: None
Level: 10
Health: 2400
Mana: 800
AGL (Agility): 160
VIT (Vitality): 300
INT (Intelligence): 120
STA (Stamina): 140
STR (Strength): 260
DEF (Defense): 250
Status: Healthy]
Sebastian observed in astonishment the statistics of the giant creature emerging from the lake. "It's powerful," he said quietly. "And it looks very dangerous. We have to be careful."
Crustalith, with its angular head adorned with sharp spikes and its penetrating red eyes, presented a menacing and powerful appearance. Its crushing claws and reinforced carapace made it a formidable opponent. Furthermore, its aquatic agility and rapid regenerative capacity made it even more fearsome.
Aurora and Sebastian watched the scene in terror, aware that they were facing a new and dangerous creature. They decided they needed to find a way to confront Crustalith, but they knew they would require a well-planned strategy and all of their combined skills to have any chance of defeating it.
After carefully studying Crustalith's battle abilities, Sebastian realized they would need to weaken its carapace before attempting any direct attacks. He communicated his findings to Aurora, and together they devised a plan.
"I think if we can target the bony protrusions on its carapace, we can weaken it enough to attack" explained Sebastian.
"And how do we get close enough without being seen?" asked Aurora.
They decided to take advantage of Crustalith's energy beam as an opportunity. Sebastian would use his archery skills to shoot from a distance while Aurora distracted the beast with her agility and strength. Every time Crustalith unleashed its energy beam, it would be momentarily vulnerable.
Armed with their plan, Aurora and Sebastian cautiously approached the lake. While Crustalith was busy searching for more prey, they seized the opportunity to attack from two different flanks. Aurora moved swiftly and skillfully, dodging the giant lobster's strikes as she tried to distract it.
Sebastian, maintaining a safe distance, aimed his bow and shot accurately at the weak point he had identified: the bony protrusions on Crustalith's exoskeleton. His arrows found their mark, gradually weakening the creature's carapace.
"Shoot, Sebastian!" shouted Aurora as she jumped and rolled to avoid Crustalith's claws.
Sebastian focused his gaze on the target and released the arrow with precision. "We have to keep weakening its carapace!"
As Crustalith became more vulnerable, Aurora seized every opportunity to launch precise attacks against the beast. Her sword struck the carapace of Crustalith, causing visible cracks and damage. The creature's resistance began to fade, but it still remained a formidable enemy.
In a last desperate attempt, Crustalith unleashed its energy beam towards Aurora. Sebastian, alert and accurate, shot an arrow towards one of the softer parts of the carapace.
"We did it, Aurora!" exclaimed Sebastian. "This is our chance! Attack now!"
Aurora, seizing the opportunity, launched herself at the beast with all her strength. Blow after blow, her sword finally shattered Crustalith's carapace, exposing its vulnerable interior.
"Now, Sebastian! Attack its weak point!" shouted Aurora, panting from the effort.
Sebastian nodded and adjusted his position. He aimed at Crustalith's vulnerable spot and released a powerful arrow. The arrow flew at great speed and struck deep into the creature's interior, eliciting a deafening cry of pain from Crustalith.
The beast roared in agony and collapsed to the ground, defeated. Aurora and Sebastian found themselves in the center of the battle, exhausted but victorious once again. They looked at the lifeless body of Crustalith, aware that they had faced a dangerous creature.
"We did it, Sebastian," said Aurora, smiling and looking at her companion. "We killed that ugly beast."
"This battle was intense; we should be cautious of other creatures. We don't know what else might be out there" responded Sebastian. "Remember, there are always dangers along the way."
On the horizon, the sun began to set, casting golden hues over the forest. Aurora and Sebastian considered it wouldn't be wise to continue exploring during the night, so they decided to make camp. But before that, Sebastian said, "Aurora, today we'll have a delicious lobster stew."
"Wait, Sebastian, are we really going to eat that?" she asked.
"You shouldn't turn down food, young lady. Now let's hurry before it gets any darker."
And so, another day passed as they survived the relentless Enchanted Forest, together, happy, and enjoying a delicious lobster stew.