It couldn't be said that Daniel dove into the water without a plan. Though he won't deny that he's currently acting on emotion. Honestly, if it weren't for his Geta being with Seraphina, he's not sure he would've taken the leap.
But there's no point in pondering that now. He swiftly opens his inventory and closely reads the description of the item in front of him.
Item: [Aquatern Sphere.]
Item Type: Player Boost.
Item Description: [The Aquatern Sphere is an exclusive artifact dropped from the Aquatern monster. This mystical sphere grants a temporary boost if you are in water or within a 10-meter radius of a body of water. Upon activation, your strength increases by one rank, your underwater movement speed doubles, and you gain the ability to breathe underwater for two minutes. However, be cautious: activation cloaks you in a magical white aura, which can attract more dangerous monsters. Use wisely.
Activation Conditions:
* You must be in water or within a 10-meter radius of a body of water to activate the effect.
* The boost is temporary and lasts two minutes.
* The white aura appearing upon activation may attract more dangerous creatures.
Note: One-time use item. The Aquatern Sphere will disappear from your inventory upon activation.]
'Four of these dropped for me, so that's eight minutes to make it count. It'd be nice to make it out alive.'
A system message suddenly pops up in front of Daniel asking if he wants to activate the 'Aquatern Sphere.' Mentally, Daniel responds 'yes.'
The item is instantly activated. A white aura envelops Daniel. He quickly opens his status to check his attributes.
Name: Daniel Gray.
Under Effect: Aquatern Sphere {1:59}
Age: 19.
Level: 3.
Experience: [150/200.]
Points: 214.
Class: Undefined.
Weapon: Short Stone Sword [10% chance to inflict 'Paralysis']
Health: 50 {+10}
Energy: 70 {+10}
Strength: 9 {+10}
Build: 9 {+10}
Agility: 14 {+10}
Reflex: 12 {+10}
Mastery: 16 {+10}
Intelligence: 10 {+10}
Accuracy: 9 {+10}
Luck: 12 {+10}
Wisdom: 12 {+10}
Willpower: 10 {+10}
Skills: Active: ___
Passive: [Cheater.]
Main Inventory [5/5]:
[Canteen.], [WineWorm Scale x2.], [Blood Spikes x2.], [Map.], [Stone x2.]
Homemade Bag [2/7]:
[Vine of Corruption.], [Aquatern Sphere x3.], [Empty.], [Empty.], [Empty.], [Empty.], [Empty.]
Condition: [Mask.]
Fetish: [CBT.]
Sense of Hunger: 37%
Sense of Thirst: 31%
Sense of Desire: 79%
Sense of Cold: 10%
Sense of Heat: 2%
Bleeding: 9%
`Plus 10 to all stats? That's not going to help much against this monster,' Daniel thought to himself.
He sank deeper and deeper into the water. His speed had definitely increased. Thanks to the power-up from Aquaterna, he felt like a fish in water.
Suddenly, he felt a pressure emanating from the depths. A flurry of bubbles swirled around him.
Hydroglot lunged at Daniel, its tentacle swinging. With his heightened reflexes, Daniel managed to raise his sword just in time to parry the attack.
Hydroglot sent him flying back several meters. Daniel's eyes briefly flicked to the creature's other tentacles.
One of them tightly wrapped around Seraphina's body. This looked nothing like the tentacle scenes in certain adult animations that Daniel had watched purely for research.
Seraphina was gasping for air; her face flushed, eyes wide open. She couldn't even twitch a finger as she was entirely entangled. Daniel looked at Seraphina's feet, or more precisely, her boots that were twitching helplessly.
`My geta... Please hang on a little longer. I won't let you drown so easily here!",' he resolved. Sword in hand, Daniel charged towards the tentacle clutching Seraphina.
Tentacles flew at him from all directions.
Time seemed to stand still for a moment; Daniel took a deep breath and sensed every detail around him: the rising air bubbles, his twitching geta, the fading life in Seraphina's eyes, tentacles, and the sword in his hand.
Daniel gripped the hilt of his sword and swung it so fast that it became almost invisible. The friction caused the water around him to boil, forming a vortex that repelled every approaching tentacle. His blade sliced through the water like a spiral drill, severing any attempt from the enemy to catch him.
`This is what I call boost power! No way I'm letting you take my geta!' Daniel yelled inwardly. Hydroglot's tentacles became mere obstacles in his way. He fended off every tentacle and finally reached Seraphina, plunging his sword into the tentacle squeezing her.
The monster let out a sickening screech and released Seraphina. She had passed out from lack of air and started sinking. As Hydroglot recoiled in pain, Daniel quickly grabbed the Aquatern sphere from his inventory.
Items could be absorbed in two ways: physically or through a system command — a clear conclusion Daniel had drawn from surviving in this game for the past two days.
"Daniel tried to shove the sphere into Seraphina's mouth, but the Aquatern sphere simply fell out of her mouth.
'Damn it... all for my Geta,' Daniel quickly put the sphere in his mouth and pressed his lips to Seraphina's. Using his tongue, he pushed the sphere he had tightly held between his teeth, and it dropped right onto Seraphina's tongue.
This time, Daniel made sure it didn't fall out. He pushed the Aquatern sphere deeper and deeper into Seraphina's mouth with his tongue.
Gently massaging her throat, Daniel helped her swallow the object...
A white aura slowly enveloped the girl. Daniel finally detached himself from her lips.
Her eyes widened. Seraphina started coughing immediately, expelling the remnants of water from her mouth.
Staring at Daniel in astonishment, her gaze suddenly froze upon seeing the enormous Hydroglot charging at them.
Ignoring the Hydroglot behind him, Daniel, with a stone-cold face, pointed upwards and then at the auras surrounding them.
Understanding immediately, Seraphina shot upwards. Daniel followed her.
The tentacles of the Hydroglot reached for them from below. Since Daniel was the last in line, the tentacles were approaching him more quickly.
He didn't look back, hoping for a miracle escape, but suddenly the effect of the Aquatern sphere ceased, and the white aura around him vanished.
Daniel slowed down significantly and began to choke on the water. The water pressure inflicted unbearable pain. Nevertheless, he quickly reactivated the Aquatern sphere through the system.
A white aura enveloped him again. He tried to ascend, but the gaping maw of the Hydroglot appeared in front of him. It was just a meter away and closing in. Tentacles rushed at Daniel from all sides.
Daniel quickly started swinging his sword to fend off the tentacles. He repelled most of the monster's attacks; despite their intimidating appearance, Hydroglot's tentacles were quite vulnerable and easily sliced.
However, there were too many to fully defend against. The monster took advantage.
Surprisingly, Hydroglot gripped him in a vulnerable area—not his neck, legs, or arms, but his genitals! Squeezing them tightly!
Daniel wanted to scream in agonizing pain but couldn't. It felt like his genitals were in a vice.
Hydroglot pulled him closer to its enormous maw by his genitals.
Several system messages suddenly popped up in front of Daniel.
[Sense of Desire exceeds 80%!]
[Player's Consciousness Affected by Status Effects!]
[Attribute 'Willpower' decreases by 50%!]
[Attribute 'Wisdom' decreases by 50%!]
[Attribute 'Intelligence' decreases by 50%!]
Frantically, Daniel started hacking away with his sword, making deep cuts into Hydroglot's tentacles.
The monster screeched, its grip suddenly loosened, and to Daniel's surprise, two system messages appeared.
[Weapon's 'Paralysis' effect successfully activated.]
[Hydroglot temporarily paralyzed.]
The monster began to sink, descending deeper and deeper into the water. However, instead of seizing the opportunity to escape, Daniel decided to lunge at Hydroglot, leading with his sword.
`You bastard, you almost sank my geta! You bastard, you almost drowned me! You bastard, who made me shake in fear like a scared puppy! I'll make you pay, you damn wretch!`
Daniel rapidly closed in on Hydroglot and swung his sword at its vine-woven body. Then again, and again!
CLANG CLANG
Daniel furiously struck at Hydroglot's body.
CRACK
Finally, a cracking sound was heard.
`Huh? There's not even a scratch on it! What was that sound then?` Suddenly, Daniel lifted his head and looked at the sword in his hand.
His heart tightened in pain. The blade of Daniel's sword broke in half. The tip of the sword snapped off and began to sink, leaving Daniel holding only the hilt with a short, broken end.
A system message suddenly echoed in Daniel's mind.
[Effect 'Paralysis' from weapon "Short Sword" has expired.]
[Hydroglot is no longer paralyzed.]