Cyrus unsheathed his sword and swung it through the air. The weight felt slightly off, a reminder of his diminished etherion.
It was a double-handed, long, single-edged blade, devoid of embellishment—simply pure black. Cyrus loved it for its heft, which allowed him to cleave through monsters with ease, especially since Artificers lacked any innate combat skills.
He began making plans for the Armored crabs, and when it was dark, Cyrus finally began.
Strapping the sword to his back with a sturdy sling and pairing it with a dagger on each side of his waist, he was ready for action. The darkness could not obstruct his vision because of the passive ability of the Eyes of Void.
Walking out, Cyrus sprinted towards the location of the Armored crabs, while making sure to keep his footsteps as silent as possible. Many people don't know the monsters that lord over the night of the Awakened Valley, and he doesn't want to find out.
The armor helped to minimize his presence significantly. It was the cloak he had mentioned, so he wasn't being entirely truthful when he spoke to Tracy.
Twenty minutes later, Cyrus crouched atop a massive pile of boulders, gazing into a colossal cave that teemed with giant armored crabs, each towering at his waist. Most of the creatures were asleep, but about fifty patrolled the perimeter, their movements creating an eerie rhythm. The cave itself was nestled deep within the mountain's wall.
'A typical pack. Those patrolling crabs are the soldiers!'
He noticed that the patrolling crabs had smaller bodies but larger, menacing pincers that could easily encircle his leg. At the center of the cave, the largest crab lay lazily on the floor, surrounded by the regular crabs. However, encircling this giant crab were two smaller crabs with golden carapaces, standing out starkly against the earthy brown of the others.
"Are those the second generation?" Cyrus mused.
He rummaged through his plans, considering the most suitable strategy, before arriving at a conclusion.
'Luring and swift killing! I need to be quick not to alert the rest, especially that large one in the center.'
Cyrus leaped off the boulder and landed beside it. The night was dim, with only the faint light of the half-moon peeking through the dark clouds, casting a soft glow that barely illuminated the surroundings.
He made his way closer to the pack of crabs, staying close to the mountain for cover until he finally halted a few meters away from them.
'This is the limit.'
Although his armor reduces his presence, he doesn't want to tempt fate by going too close, even though the Armored crabs have low vision, which worsens at night.
He spotted a blind spot on the mountain wall near the crabs, an angle that made it challenging for them to see him. Carefully climbing the rocky surface, he slipped into a crevice and settled in to wait. Hunting solo required patience; it was all about biding his time for the right opportunity. After fifteen minutes of silent observation, a soldier crab began to patrol the area.
The crab walked close, and surveyed the surroundings, before turning around.
As the crab turned to head back, Cyrus quickly hurled the rock he had prepared. The armored creature pivoted sharply at the sound of the tumbling stone, raising its pincers in readiness. It advanced toward the noise, making its way to the corner of the mountain where Cyrus remained concealed above.
When it arrived at the spot where the stone had fallen, the armored crab spun around, scanning the area with its small eyes, shielded by a hooded shell.
Cyrus held his breath, his sword pointed downward, his expression calm and focused.
Just as the crab relaxed its guard and turned away, Cyrus dropped from above and thrust his sword into the gap of its carapace. The blade missed the opening slightly, embedding only a quarter of its length into the creature. The crab shrieked, swinging its pincer back toward him.
Quickly, Cyrus retracted his blade and leaped off the crab's back, narrowly dodging the incoming pincers.
He landed deftly and assessed the armored crab's condition—green blood oozed from the wound, staining its carapace a vivid hue.
However, due to his amateur skill, he had missed his chance. The crab continued to shriek, its pincers poised to strike anything that approached.
Cyrus gritted his teeth as he heard the sounds of other soldier crabs making their way toward him.
'Dammit! Do I leave like this?'
The injured crab began approaching him with cautious, measured steps.
'I guess I can only leave. To survive solo hunting requires sacrificing my greed.'
Cyrus decided to retreat, but the crab suddenly lunged at him with surprising speed.
He leaped aside, narrowly escaping as the pincers sliced through the mountain behind him.
The crab quickly turned to face him once more.
His eyes flickered with indecision at the sight. 'Greed! Greed!! Greed!!! I'm risking it.'
His resolve hardened. 'There's only one way to kill it quickly.'
As the crab braced itself for round two, Cyrus crouched low, the muscles in his legs taut. He sprang forward like a released arrow, his heart pounding in his chest.
The crab raised its massive pincers in a desperate attempt to defend itself, but Cyrus extended his left hand and activated [Chained Lock]. In that electrifying moment, a black ethereal thread surged from his palm and coursed through the armored crab, freezing its movements. He bolted forward, unimpeded by the creature's pincers.
His breath slowed as he drew closer, the blade gleaming in the dim light, piercing the air with deadly intent. The tip found the soft, vulnerable eye of the armored crab and plunged in with a sickening squelch. He twisted the weapon mercilessly, driven by adrenaline and the promise of victory.
But just as he prepared to withdraw his blade, a sudden, crushing blow struck his head. Darkness threatened to envelop him while the crab slumped lifelessly, green blood erupting from its wounded eye in a ghastly spray.
Yet, even in this triumph, Cyrus felt no excitement.
'It's only been two seconds,' he thought, struggling to stand as his head felt lighter.
His hands gripped the sword's handle for support, his vision spinning.
Loud footsteps echoed around him; other crabs were closing in.
With blurred vision, he glanced at the dead armored crab and quickly stowed it, along with his sword, into his spatial ring before escaping with shaky steps. He tried to move as quickly as possible, avoiding any obstacles in his path.
Every nerve in his body urged him to shut down, but he pressed on, using every ounce of willpower to stay awake as he neared his cave.
When he finally entered, he collapsed on the floor, praying that nothing would come in after him.