The Deep Assassin kept searching, and Ren hung between two dilemmas: the predator that couldn't see him, and the hydra that defied everything he thought he knew about the beast egg cycle.
With careful movements, Ren extracted the flask with the potion Zhao had given him.
The green liquid glowed softly as he uncorked it. It was his last defense against mana overload.
The taste was bitter and metallic, but the effect was immediate. The crushing pressure of mana receded, as if a window had been opened in a suffocating room.
It wouldn't last long, but it would have to be enough.
The Deep Assassin finally lost interest in its search. Its sensors detected no more movement, and the paralyzed worm promised a feast it didn't want to waste. The beast returned to its prey, its proboscis sinking back into the liquefied flesh.
'Now or never,' thought Ren as he began descending the thread.
