"That's cutting it way too close," I muttered, pacing in the room, my hands slightly trembling. "A Knight-grade B-rank monster? I wouldn't survive a second. Even a C-rank Bishop is already beyond me."
[ Yes. According to simulations, the chance of surviving the ascended monster is 0.000001%. ]
"Might as well call that zero. Once it wakes up, it'll probably be hungry… no way it lets me live."
I sighed, throwing the last of my belongings into the bag—a phone with no coverage, a watch, some daggers, mana stones, and spare clothes. "System, compare my chances of escaping and my chances of defeating the monster while it's hibernating."
[ Initiating simulations… ]
[ Progress: 1%… 23%… 56%… 89%… 100%. ]
[ Likelihood of escaping: 50%. ]
[ Likelihood of defeating the monster in hibernation: 20%. ]
[ Likelihood of defeating the monster post-awakening: 0%. ]
"Hmm… If I combine escape and an offensive strategy… what are the odds then?"
[ Sorting scenarios… ]
[ Merging compatible scenarios… Complete. ]
[ Likelihood of combined attempt: 60%. ]
"I like those odds." I slung the bag over my shoulder. "Tell me the plan, and let me fine-tune it."
---
Four hours later…
The banquet hall was eerily quiet, the thick, black roots encircling the room in a grotesque cocoon-like structure. The air reeked of death and decay, a putrid mix of rotting corpses and sweet floral undertones.
"So, that's the monster…" I whispered, crouched behind a pillar near the exit. The only way out was, unfortunately, right behind the creature.
[ Yes. ]
"System, gather as much information as possible."
[ Affirmative. Scanning… 1%… 23%… 89%… ]
I glanced nervously at the cocoon. It pulsed faintly, cracks spidering across its surface. "How much time until it comes out of hibernation?"
[ Four and a half hours, Host. ]
"Then why are there already cracks?"
[ Scanning… 100%. WARNING. Anomaly detected. ]
[ Time until the end of hibernation: 20 seconds. ]
My blood ran cold. "Oh, crap…"
[ 19… ]
[ 18… ]
"What the hell do I do?!"
[ 17… ]
[ 16… ]
"Alternate exits?"
[ There is only one exit. ]
[ 15… ]
"And it's behind the monster… Of course."
[ 14… ]
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. "System, how many mana crystals do we have in place?"
[ 13… ]
[ There are 3,465 mana crystals in place. 30 more are in your bag. ]
[ 12… ]
"Good. When I give the signal, detonate 800 of them on the floors above. Got it?"
[ 11… Affirmative. ]
[ 10… ]
I darted across the hall, dodging roots and debris, positioning myself behind a distant pillar near a glass wall. From here, I had a clear view of the cocoon and the entire banquet hall.
[ 09… ]
[ 08… ]
The cracks on the cocoon deepened. I could hear faint sounds—wet and unsettling—coming from within.
[ 07… ]
[ 06… ]
More cracks. The stench grew stronger.
[ 05… ]
"Almost there," I whispered, steadying my nerves.
[ 04… ]
The entire cocoon trembled violently, roots flailing around it like tendrils.
[ 03… ]
[ 02… ]
I peeked from behind the pillar just as two pale hands tore through the cocoon's surface. Slowly, a head emerged—human in appearance, yet utterly grotesque. It looked like the face of a girl, her skin deathly pale, her lifeless eyes staring into nothingness.
"Was she… one of its victims?" The thought flickered briefly before I shook it away. Focus.
[ 01… ]
[ 00. ]
"Now!"
[ Activating engraved mana crystals… ]
The explosion roared through the building, the ceiling collapsing as the floors above came crashing down. Debris slammed into the cocoon, pinning it under the rubble.
"System, next 200!"
[ Activating engraved mana crystals… ]
Another explosion. More rubble.
"Next 200!"
[ Activating engraved mana crystals… ]
Two more floors collapsed, the deafening noise reverberating through the hall. Dust and smoke choked the air, and I could barely see through the chaos.
As the dust settled, I finally caught a glimpse of the aftermath. The thick pile of rubble should have been enough to crush anything.
But then… movement.
From the center of the debris, the cocoon began to split open. Slowly, the monster emerged—its upper body eerily human, resembling a girl no older than eighteen. The lower half, still buried in the rubble, was a writhing mass of black roots.
Eight floors. Eight entire floors collapsed on it… and not a single scratch.
[ Scan complete. ]
Name: Corpse Flower
Gene: Mutant
Grade: Knight
Rank: C+
Combat Power: E+
[ WARNING: Detailed analysis unavailable due to grade difference. ]
"Great. It's weaker than I thought… but still far stronger than me. What now?"
I barely had time to think. As if sensing my presence, the monster lashed out, roots piercing through the air like lances. I dove to the side, narrowly avoiding being impaled.
The spot where I had just been crouching was now riddled with black roots, sharper and sturdier than any I had seen before.
If I had been a second slower…
I shook off the thought. My instincts were in overdrive now, every fiber of my being screaming to stay alive.
"System, plan B. Give me options. Fast!"
---
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