"What..." Rota opened her mouth but Belialthorn turned and covered her mouth, dragging her back until they were behind a tree.
"Shhhhhh," Belialthorn whispered. It surprised him that he didn't sense the monster until they were almost upon it. "Monster ahead."
"I saw it!" Rota whispered furiously when Thorn released her. "What type of monster is that?"
Belialthorn peeked behind the tree and frowned, he hadn't heard anything about this type of monster before, and.... was that even a normal monster?
"I don't know." Belialthorn frowned, it was a Vore but also not. The size of a horse with a long mouth that ended in long fangs, his eyes were blood red and his hand ended in long claws.
"This is a Vore," Rota said as she also took a peek. "I don't know they get this big."
"They don't," Belialthorn said, he had never heard of or seen a Vore as big as this, they get big but never this big and this one didn't smell like a Vore either.
"Well, at least we found our Vores nest," Rota said. The huge Vore was eating the last of the Vores, its long fangs tearing into the flesh. Behind the huge Vore was a large hole in the ground that Belialthorn assumed was the entrance to the Vore's nest.
"If they don't get this big then how do we have a giant Vore in front of us?" Rota's heart skipped a beat as the Vore raised its mouth and growled.
Belialthorn waited until the monster got back to eating before replying. "I don't think it's a Vore.....well it certainly doesn't smell like one. It smells like chemicals and dry heat."
Belialthorn frowned, he had smelled something like that before but he couldn't place it.
"What are we going to do now?" Rota asked.
Belialthorn smiled at his warrior. "You are fighting it of course."
Rota stared at Thorn as if he was crazy before she hissed. "Fight that? Are you joking? Do you want me to fight something that big? Something we don't even know its name or its level?"
Belialthorn shrugged. "Just call it an overgrown Vore and I can get a feel of its level. Lower Grade 1, probably level 5 at most."
"Probably level 5? I'm level 2! I don't have the power to kill that thing!" Rota whispered angrily, her grey eyes flashing.
"Its level might be higher than yours but you have a weapon and see, the monster is even more bone than flesh." It was true, the Vore was thin, its skeletons showing.
Rota looked at him doubtfully and Thorn smiled at her. "Ready?"
She carefully stood and removed her spear, the heavy metal giving her a reassuring feel.
"Hey, ugly rat!" Belialthorn called and the huge Vore froze with a dead Vore's leg still in its mouth. It turned red eyes to Belialthorn's direction and its mangy fur bristled.
Rota cursed as the monster rushed her, quick as any rat in the slums, its forelegs raised for a swipe with its long claws. She dodged and brought her weapon up for a quick jab and the monster flinched back in pain.
They circled each other, Rota had thought the monster to be strong but it was weak, its showing ribs meant it was underfed and that must be why it was gouging itself with the smaller Vores.
Rota's level 2 skill [Spear Mastery] was more of a passive skill even then, she activated it and added her second skill [ Powerful Strikes].
The Vore came at her again and Rota was ready, with her [Powerful Strikes] activated she brought her spear down with force, using it like a hammer. It hit the Vore right on the nose with a crunch and blood sprayed as it screamed and backed away.
"Yes!" Rota shouted. Adrenaline and mana ran through her as she used the two skills simultaneously. The [Powerful Strikes] made her body stronger and increased the overall cap of her strength.
But the Vore wasn't done, it sneezed bloody saliva and ran at her, claws first. Rota scrambled backwards but the monster wasn't planning to fight her with its claws. Immediately it got within striking distance it turned so suddenly and used its tail as a whip.
Rota gasped as the tail hit her just below the rips, lifting her off the ground and she slammed back with a painful thud. She cursed as she clumsily got to her feet just in time to got a mouth full of fangs.
She panicked and brought up her spear with both hands, the spear pieced under the Vore's mouth and into its skull. Blood gushed out, covering her hand and clothes, but she held her spear firmly until it stopped moving.
[Congratulations on killing a mutant Vore level 6, EP awarded]
[Congratulations you have leveled up to Valkyrie Warrior level 4]
Belialthorn smiled. His little warrior was growing just before his very eyes.
Rota's hand trembled, she had done it. She had killed a monster by herself, her father must be proud, wherever he was but she was sure her mother was cursing her from her grave.
That drained away some of her energy and she sagged against the Vore. "I did it, dad." She whispered.
Belialthorn frowned. He had never heard her so down and sorrowful before. Was this the human's way, after victory?
Belialthorn moved closer to the monster to examine it, there was nothing out of the ordinary with it except it was too big for its type and was underfed.
"What's with the smell? Even the blood smelled more of chemicals than blood." Belialthorn mumbled as he bent close to examine it. The blood was black and tinged with green.
Belialthorn's suspicion grew, this was no normal Vore. Something was wrong with it. Could it be that it was caught up in Hunter's skill?
Rota yanked out her spear, which made the monster roll until its belly was facing up. Something caught Rota's attention. "Look, Thorn. What's that?"