Mutations.
It is a phenomenon still studied, even feared. An event in which a standard monster becomes something unique—something twisted by power it was never meant to wield. They say it was a blessing left behind by the Evil God in the last century, a final cruelty before the Heroes tore his heart out and burned his corpse to ash. Or so the rumors go in the taverns where old men drink away their regrets.
I had always assumed it was the sort of story that got exaggerated over ale. A cautionary tale to keep fresh recruits wary.
And now here I was, staring at something that proved it wasn't a tale at all.
It shifted in the gloom, plates of chitin scraping over each other with a dry, hollow resonance that made my teeth ache.
The mantis-like forelimbs flexed, wickedly curved scythes catching the sickly blue glow of my HUD. The back half of it—scorpion segments glistening with moisture—twitched, the stinger arched high overhead.
My pulse slammed against my ribs. My throat felt too tight to swallow.
[Well… fuck it.]
I stepped back as I already knew that the pistol is useless against this monster, hence I asked the assistance of the SPITFIRE LMG. Then I aimed the iron sights towards the elite monster.
"KISHAAA!"
It lunged, so I fired.
BANG-BANG-BANG—
A 5 second short burst of bullets punched into its carapace, each impact throwing up shards of armored plating. For a heartbeat, I thought I'd stopped it. But the creature hardly staggered—its legs compressed, absorbing the shock, and then it was in the air, scythes raised to split me open.
[Well sh*t]
I threw myself sideways. The scythes crashed down where I'd been, biting deep into stone. Flecks of mortar sprayed across my cheek.
—CAUTION: LEVEL UNKNOWN!—
—ADVISE IMMEDIATE RETREAT!—
The HUD was blaring warnings in red across my vision, but I ignored them. I scrambled to my feet, gun trained on its flank. I fired again, aiming for the exposed joints beneath the shoulder plates.
BANG—BANG—
The creature shrieked—a high, skirling note that sent ripples through the shallow water. The second shot punched deeper than the first, a thin fountain of ichor spurting from the wound.
Good. It could bleed, but it is so goddamned durable!
I pivoted, trying to circle it. My boots slipped on the slick flagstones, nearly sending me sprawling. The thing rotated with unnatural precision, tail lashing back and forth like a metronome of death.
[Think. Think.]
There was no way I'd win a slugging match in the open. I needed to control the engagement...I need to force it into a bottleneck.
The corridor behind me was too narrow for its full bulk.
I risked a glance over my shoulder, mapping the distance but it was about seven meters, maybe eight. Close enough.
It shrieked again and darted forward.
I bolted for the passage. My breath came ragged. Each footstep splashed echoes off the walls, mingling with the wet scrape of its pursuit.
I skidded into the tunnel and pivoted just as the creature tried to follow. Its scorpion abdomen jammed against the frame, chitin screeching on stone. The stinger lashed, stabbing at empty air.
Perfect.
[Say goodbye, you one ugly *ss m*th*r f*ck*er]
I aimed the LMG and unloaded the rest of the contents of the box mag into its face.
BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG—
The shots tore through one of its eyes. Viscous fluid spilled down its mandibles. It recoiled, thrashing, the chittering scream rising in pitch. One claw flailed, sparks striking from the masonry.
I reloaded the spent box magazine and slammed in a fresh one with trembling fingers.
[Come on. Come on!]
It drew back, bracing itself. Even half-blind, it was learning. The tail stabbed forward, puncturing the stone where my knee had been an instant before. Chips of mortar stung my cheek.
I pressed deeper into the tunnel. My heart pounded so loud it felt like it would burst.
In that moment, one thought rose above the chaos
I am not ready for this.
This wasn't a first-floor rat or some half-dead slime. This was something forged in whatever malice seeped into the world when the gods abandoned it.
The tail stabbed again. I ducked low, feeling the wind of the strike pass inches over the helmet.
I raised the gun, aimed for the ruined socket where its eye had been, and fired a single round.
BANG—
The bullet punched through into the cavity behind. The thing convulsed, all limbs spasming in a final, grotesque dance. The tail lashed the ceiling, snapping off a chunk of brick that nearly brained me.
Then, as suddenly as it had begun, it stopped.
It slumped halfway into the corridor, mandibles still clacking in twitching aftershocks.
I stared at it, my arms trembling so badly I nearly dropped the gun.
{NEW DATA ENTRY!}
{YOU HAVE SLAINED A CHIMERA MANTIS x1}
{YOU GAINED 320 EXP!}
I exhaled in a ragged wheeze. My knees finally unlocked and I backed up until I hit the wall, sliding down until I was sitting in the filthy water.
Three hundred twenty experience. For a single monster.
My heart wouldn't stop hammering.
I let the LMG rest across my lap and closed my eyes, willing my breathing to slow.
[So much for an easy run]
I could have brought out RONIN for assistance, but the size of the dungeon does not permit it. Basically, I am bound to fight in the flesh.
It was a miracle I hadn't frozen up. Even back on Earth, I'd never faced anything like this—nothing that looked at you like it was measuring where to split you open.
Fighting Rynia was another thing, she was a person. This? I could not even read the expression of the monster's face.
I knew then that this was just the beginning. If this was what a mutation on the first floor looked like… gods knew what waited deeper in.
I swallowed, throat dry.
[In and out, I said. Couldn't be more wrong than that]
I opened my eyes. The corpse hadn't dissolved yet. Maybe it was too warped for the dungeon to reclaim instantly.
I pushed myself up, wincing as the adrenaline crash left my limbs leaden. I approached the thing warily. The mandibles twitched, but there was no strength left in them.
I could dismantle this thing, but I have no time to spare. If I was preoccupied, I could be attacked. So I did the most smart thing I could, and that is storing this mutated monster's corpse to my INVENTORY. I have read that mutated monster parts could fetch a decent bounty...assuming I made it back alive.
As I straightened, I glanced at the shadows beyond the chamber. My HUD showed no movement. But that meant nothing.
[Short exploration, huh.]
I reloaded my secondary, making sure the magazine was seated properly.
One more corridor. Maybe two.
Then I was getting the hell out.