Commander Kyle has a point. It was uncertain, yet we couldn't risk just letting the remaining days pass by and wait for what will happen once it's over. He gathered us both and we planned how to attack the sleepy monster infant who rubbed its eyes with its tentacle.
If only it were a plushie, I might have found it cute and pinched its petals, but those moving and drooling suckers looked horrendous that can make you lose sleep for a few nights. Imagine those arms slithering under your bed and wrapping on your ankles and wrists undetected.
I shivered from my imagination.
"Ethan Fray, stop creating our landing and just attack. We can manage a little bit of water. Eva, save your mana and don't just create bubbles for whoever will fall. If a few minutes passed and one of us was still above water, you can use it then. Ryder and I will try to climb that giant and inflict damage. And you…can you still run?"
Hm? Did I see worry flashed in the commander's eyes? I guess I'm going to die since I'm seeing things.
I waved my legs to him. It was still numb, but it didn't hinder my movement it did more than before. Kyle sighed and nodded. He seemed convinced that I'd be alright since I could use my blood as a weapon anyway.
The four of them did as planned. The infant Cephalumbus slammed its tentacles around. Its movement and attacks were sloppy, maybe because it was a newborn. Its only advantage was its giant and thick body.
Ryder and Kyle manage to cling to its body. When Ryder ripped a part of it, the lotus head screamed and thrashed its body, just like a child throwing a tantrum on the floor.
Eva used her power and directed the sound waves of its screaming from its own. The round receptacle where those two large eyes were, crumpled because of pressure. Eva continued hitting that part until the eyes could no longer open.
On the other hand, Ethan freezes the tentacles, but because they are thicker and much larger, he can't use his power simultaneously, thus, he freezes them one by one, and then Kyle leaps and smashes the frozen limb.
They partnered to take down the tentacles. However, they didn't take into consideration the existence of those drooling suckers.
"Watch out for the rings!"
I shouted as I dodged another attack from those silly seedpods and lotus flytraps. I cut them with the sword. I could feel my attack power getting stronger the more I battled. Although, there was one problem.
[Health: 58]
My health is decreasing rapidly due to my wound and fatigue. This battle needs to end before all of our health depletes.
[+1]
I took care of the remaining flytraps and pods, but the four were attacked and thrown into the water because they dodged the purple toxic gases.
I swung my sword to another stem sprouting from beneath the block.
"Argh! These stems are never-ending!"
[+1]
It's great that I'm hoarding lives to upgrade my sword, but it was extremely exhausting and…boring.
The mutated monster slammed its tentacles on the four, Eva got swept away, but she quickly enveloped herself with her bubbles. Ethan just froze the water directly and pushed him out, landing on the top of the waves perfectly.
I grabbed Ryder's collar, who got swept in my direction.
"Where's the commander?"
Before Ryder could answer me though, another thick tentacle was coming on our way. I jumped from the block and swam, letting go of Ryder.
Thud! Crack!
The large block of ice was torn into pieces. I ducked underwater, my eyes wide open as I scanned the abyss, searching for a human figure, but to my surprise, I was only greeted by another flytrap ready to bite me again.
I swung my sword. The plant was cut and its dead stem slowly drifted away. At last, I saw the commander swimming from afar, heading to the underside of the monster.
What the hell is he doing? He could get sucked in by the monster's mouth if he went even closer! He was wearing a protective sound bubble, but all he had was his fists! I followed the guy, dodging the slimy slithering limbs of the monster.
Not long after, I was also hit by that transparent bubble so I managed to stay underwater without shouting help to Eva.
"What are you trying to pull?!"
Kyle grabbed onto the monster's arm and climbed on it, "We have to cut its head while it's still a baby."
Beheading an infant sounds so cruel. "You're going to climb past the petals?"
"I'm going to try. Go above and distract it. Sing it a lullaby or make faces, perhaps its mood will change."
I threw the sword at him, and shouted, "Take this. What else are you going to cut it with, anyway?"
Kyle shrugged his shoulders and caught the sword, "I'm thinking of just crushing it by punches."
However, only a few seconds passed after he grabbed the obsidian sword, and it vanished into the water. Kyle looked at me, confused, and asked, "What happened?"
"I think it's a sword that can only be used by the owner. Unless you kill me, you won't be able to wield it."
Kyle grinned and gave me a meaningful look, "Your ability and weapon are really something."
I just turned my back to him and swam above. I still wasn't comfortable talking about how I got that ability and sword. If I can't lend the sword to him, then, wouldn't it be better if I go up instead?
But…
[Health: 52]
Can my body still hold up climbing that gargantuan monster? Maybe…there's a way.
[Skill
I gathered a ball of blood as large as a melon on my hand.
[Health: 44]
Dammit. It was only reasonable that my body would worsen after releasing almost two bags of blood. So, I need to execute my plan before I die from blood loss. I clung onto the block of ice nearby and focused my eyes.
My aim should be that tiny receptacle on the central part of the flower and where the eyes of the monsters were. Not sure if that was the head, but if the head was actually the whole lotus flower, then it would be difficult to pull it by hand or even slice it with the sword in one go.
Ryder, Ethan, and Eva were fighting the tentacles above and the sprouting flytraps and seedpods. Meanwhile, Kyle was underneath, taking down the monster's tentacles while trying to climb up. But I think it will be faster if I do it myself.
The orb of blood floating on my palm floated higher. A fiber shot out from one side and wrapped around my wrist, I grabbed it tightly with both of my hands, before the other end flew a hundred meters up, directly hitting one of the petals.
As soon as the orb of blood hit one of the petals, it exploded into tiny sharp fibers and engulfed the lotus head.
"Sir Atlas!"
The three shouted my name, so I answered back, while slowly testing the blood thread, "I'm going at the top! Keep distracting the baby!"
"Yes, sir!"
With that, the thread I held onto pulled me up like an elastic band getting slapped back from where it was stretched. I could feel the petals struggling, so I thickened the blood and pulled it tighter.
[Health:32]
One tentacle straightened up and tried to flick me, but Ethan froze it quickly and Ryder smashed it with his foot. Evat kept on sending sound waves that only the monster could hear, while Kyle below was holding back the other tentacles from emerging above water.
At last, I landed on the flat surface where the thick branch of the central receptacle lies. I moved quickly and raised my sword, but my movement lost balance as the surface quaked. With my one leg limping, I fell butt first.
I scanned the surface and was taken aback by what I witnessed. It was a large opening, below the stem of the central receptacle were clusters of stamen filled with pollens. Each particle was as large as my fist.
The outer part was filled with three large craters. I stood and quickly ran to one. They were moving up and down so I don't need to wonder what they were. As I expected, a thin sheet below a crater was covering that purplish lump of pumping organ.
"Sir Atlas, be careful! All the tentacles are heading upwards!"
Eva's voice echoed in the whole place. We're a hundred meters apart but the words still reach me. The shadows of the tentacles loomed over the head, and with no time to think which heart was which, I only prayed that I stabbed the right one before those horrendous limbs hit me.
My raised sword struck down and pierced the thin sheet and the organ beneath. Blue blood squirted from the wound and sprayed on my face. I jerked back and staggered.
"Did I get it?"
The tentacles faltered and slowly slumped, and then, with another stab in that particular heart, the tentacles gradually withered and slid down. Water splashed below and Eva shouted in excitement.
However, the hurdles did not finish from that. The surface quaked much greater this time, and I almost toppled over if it weren't for the black sword stuck on the ground.
I heard Kyle yell, "Sterne, get out of there!"
Ryder followed; worry laced in his voice, "Atlas, jump down here now!"
Ethan cursed and tried to freeze the petals that closing in on me. Eva's power was no use, it only made the petals fold faster as if they were irritated by the noise she created. I gulped and pulled back my sword.
Jumping out would only have me falling on those pinkish petals, so I just did what I could do at the moment.
I dashed to the next crater and stabbed the second heart. Then, I used my blood and threw sharp blood waves on the thick filament holding up the central receptacle. The two large eyes circled and rolled over hysterically, but because the tentacles became invalid, it couldn't do anything but look for the attacker.
I sent another heap of sharp blood waves while dashing to the last crater. At the same time, I jumped and pierced the last heart, the thick filament was cut and dropped to the surface.
"Sir Atlas, you need to get out of there quick!"
I know, Fray. But I don't think I can move further.
[Health: 11]
[WARNING: User's Health is decreasing rapidly!]
[Health: 9]
[WARNING: User's Health is decreasing rapidly!]
Oh, shit. I'm doomed, aren't I?
But wait, I seemed to keep forgetting something. I fought so hard to keep myself awake. My vision was blurry and my body seemed so heavy. The blue sky casting over that entire place slowly became pinkish before it turned completely dark.
What happened? Did night arrive already?
"Sir Atlas, please speak! We're opening the flower!"
What were they saying? The surroundings became so dark already, however, a screen flashed before my eyes. Surprisingly, even with my blurred vision I still manage to read the words as if it flashes on my head.
[Congratulations!
You have defeated the Waterborne Abyss' Child Cephalumbus!
Rewards will be given upon exiting the door.
The door will be open in five minutes.]
I didn't hear anything after that. Not any sound from my companions or even the sound of water or the wind. It felt like I was submerged in the abyss.
It was dark and cold. I can hardly breathe. My eyes slowly shut and my body became a log. However, in my head, another screen popped up.
[WARNING!]
It was bright red.
[IMMINENT RISK OF DEATH!]
[INITIALIZING ESCAPE SYSTEM…]
[WARNING! STARS AVAILABILITY IS ZERO!]
[Ting!]
[The Guardian of All Skies 'Caelum' loans you 1000 stars.]
[INITIALIZING ESCAPE SYSTEM…]
[SYSTEM ROUTES
>>>>Default Escape
>>>Teleportation = consumes 1000 stars (Stars Available: 1000)
>>Do you want to escape?
>Yes
>No
*System Use includes Penalty
*System will shut down after 10 seconds.]
Yes. I'd like to escape this overwhelming darkness and deafening silence.