“But why so much?” I asked, baffled. “Is it because the creature is Dark?”
Now came my turn to watch the old man’s countenance stretch out.
“Are you sure of that?” he sputtered, stunned.
“As for the momma – not completely,” I answered. “But when it comes to the egg – I couldn’t possibly be mistaken. What’s the matter with you? Not feeling well?”
The old man shuddered and reeled. His face went pale.
“No, no,” he quickly said. “I’m doing just fine... It’s just news to me, you know... If the female does turn out to be Dark, her value will go up many times! I simply couldn’t imagine we’d gotten so lucky! Do you have any idea what kind of money that would be?! And after all, you do understand you simply cannot refuse now, right?!”
To be frank, his insistence was discouraging me. On the one hand, I was cursing my loose lips, but on the other – the prospect of a fantastic payout was alluring and tempting. On a certain level, I’d already nearly agreed. Because I had more tricks up my sleeve than just Ram and Lightning. Blots and Ticks for example. In other words, I’d be able to immobilize the creature. But there was one important detail. Sure I could immobilize it, but what next? We’d have to make the long trek to the capital. How was Gino planning to keep the beast subdued all that time?
I asked him that right away.
“Oh!” the old man threw up his arms, his face stretched out into a satisfied smile. I can see he’s realized I’ve nearly agreed to it. “On top of restorative medicine, Midori knows how to brew a sleeping potion. It’s highly powerful. It’s been tested on monsters many times. We can feed the captured creature this potion for the duration of our journey. Well, what do you say?”
I looked grimly at the lanista, his hand outstretched. I turned toward my friends in the distance and started to think. If this man is telling the truth and – based on his excited state – that is most likely the case, then we stand to make a lot of money. To be honest, we’d be fine for money as it was just from selling all our loot but, as Crum would have said in this situation, “there’s no such thing as too much money.” But the risks...
“Agree, Master Eric!” Gino encouraged me. “I have a good feeling that this is gonna work! Just think! A huge amount of money is gonna ‘swim’ right into our hands! Hehe... Believe you me, opportunities like this only come around once in a lifetime!”
If only you knew how many monsters I’d seen – you wouldn’t be talking like that.
“Ugh!” I turned my head and, extending a hand for a handshake, said: “I hope I won’t regret signing onto this!”
* * *
Night came clear and moonlit. No breeze, no snowfall. The heavens, as if aware of our doubtlessly stupid plan, had hidden in anticipation of the blood-soaked extravaganza.
I was crouching among the trees that blanketed the rolling slope of the right bank waiting for our “victim” to arrive. Fifteen steps away from my ambush spot, the Dartan whipsnake egg was perched on an old stump.
Not the least bit sleepy, I’m activating Sixth Sense every hour. Mee is hiding twenty steps behind me. His supply is pulsating at a fervent pace. The gremlin is worked up. But it isn’t fear. It’s more like the thrill of the hunt. When I told my friends about the lanista’s offer and the potential reward, to my surprise, they both took the news with enthusiasm. Mee was especially surprised, almost word for word repeating what Gino said about having a good feeling. Hm... Not too long ago the little gremlin was afraid of his own shadow.
When Maya heard about the money, she frankly lost the gift of speech. Then, honestly, she told us her fears about our allies. Like what if they pull a fast one on us when we get to the city at the last moment.
There’s no reason to even mention the harn. Gorgie was always in favor of a good hunt. Able to sense my mood for the last few hours, he shared a generous helping of his confidence with me. And that, without a doubt, helped.
The cat wasn’t sitting still. His brightly pulsating supply was shifting from side to side.
Every time I activated Sixth Sense, I checked to make sure the Blots I’d scattered around the egg were still working. For the record, I now understood why the energy traps were called that.
I tried to activate them without Gino noticing, but it was like he had eyes in the back of his head. A very observant old geezer. I think he managed to read the name of one of the spheres regardless. Then I caught him shooting me thoughtful looks for a while after.
Tusk drove the wagon a bit further down the river and left Hedgehog with the horses. We didn’t clue our captive into our plans. He would be no ally to us in the upcoming scuffle – better leave him to watch our transport. It’s unlikely he’ll be able to flee. He doesn’t know how to drive our wagon. And he wouldn’t dare ride off on one of the horses. Gorgie gave him a clear demonstration that there was no hiding from him. Beyond that, Tusk threatened that, if Hedgehog did try to run, the mage’s beast would simply be ordered to slay him. That seemed to reach the Hornet’s former underling. Every time the harn appeared, he looked noticeably shaken.
Gino was sitting next to Mee, Maya and Tusk with his crossbow loaded, while Midori, armed with a bow, repeated her trick from before and dissolved among the trees. Honestly, this time, thanks to Gorgie’s keen senses, I knew for certain where the dryad was hiding. She’d taken a shine to an observation point in a tree ten paces to my left. Perhaps it was just my paranoia, but I felt her attentive gaze on me a few times. And that had me considerably nerve-wracked.
At first, I had serious doubts the beast would show up that night. But then I activated Sixth Sense yet again and noticed that the magic thread connecting the egg to its mother was gradually growing thicker. I realized the female whipsnake must have already been nearby. And based on the way the thread was changing, she was keeping up a decent pace. By the looks of things, she had reached the water.
I gave the others yet another warning and checked to make sure all my spells were ready for the umpteenth time. My mana supply is filled to the brim. Almost five thousand seven hundred points. It would have been more than six thousand, but I’d given the mana crystal I found in the orc camp to Mee. We couldn’t afford to have our healer running out of mana.
* * *
Strange as it may sound, the Dartan whipsnake’s egg is what told me she’d arrived. The dark spot inside the pearly oval, clearly having sensed its mother, started to pulsate. The magical thread had changed a good deal over the night and now looked more like a thick coal-black rope.
A loud crack came from the direction of the river followed by a powerful splash that forced me to shiver. A troop of frantic ants marched down my spine and the taste of bitter rot appeared in my mouth.
“I see her!” the dryad called out from above. “Level twenty-nine! Size of a bull! Fleet-footed!”
For the time being, everything was going to plan.
Another loud crack and swaying of trees in the distance served as a signal. My body was enshrouded in the green haze of a Muckwalker’s Defensive Aura.
When another tree started to rock, I finally caught a glimpse of the beast racing my way.
The picture from the bestiary was not the least bit misleading. The anonymous artist had put the northern monster to paper with impeccable skill. They must have seen one in real life.
A flat fishlike head. A wide set of jaws with three rows of sharp hook-like teeth. A limber snakelike body with a thick coating of slime. Just like in the picture.
When the beast finally saw me, she quickened her pace noticeably. She had a crest of spikes running down her back. Her toothy jaws cracked open and a disgusting hissing sound smacked me in the ears.
A few moments later, the monster came into range of my Sixth Sense and I stopped, dumbfounded. I felt every hair on my head stand on end. Gino’s bestiary lied! This beast is magical! Its coal-black supply had almost two thousand mana points in it! Bug take that old man and his reassurances, too!
“Me
e!” I shouted loudly. “Hit her with the Ticks!”
Not turning, my Sixth Sense let me see Gorgie and Mee’s supplies come together and race my way. A muted clap from the gremlin’s sling behind me let me know the first Tick had been loosed. The thirty percent mana sapping sphere stuck to the beast’s slimy side and... Nothing happened!
Actually no. I did notice something in the end. A small flicker of energy.
“Save your spheres!” I brayed at the gremlin. “She’s got a magic shield!”
Meanwhile the enraged female had another surprise in store for us. When she got up to the nearest Blot, she just went right over it like it was nothing. Her shield absorbed the energy trap without particular issue.
While the beast dashed headlong, easily overcoming every last Blot, I was feverishly thinking through my options. I no longer had much faith we’d be able to capture her. Even if I could immobilize her, where’s the guarantee Midori’s potions could hold a beast with a magic shield?
Reward be damned! Surviving is all that matters now!
Finally, the enraged female reached the fifty-foot mark and I activated Lightning. It took me a few seconds to realize the spell had not worked. Abyss! In addition to a magical shield, this beast has protection against paralyzing magic!
Not wasting mana on a now useless Ram, first I summoned the Longtailed Ysh spirit. The semitransparent giant snake instantly coiled around my body, giving me a sense of protection and composure.
A second later, the dark shadow of a Black Armorbug Spirit shot off toward the quickly approaching monster.
My Sixth Sense still in effect, I saw the female whipsnake’s whole body jerk and, with a flash, her whole magic shield disappeared. But that brief delay didn’t stop her from running my way with renewed force. Fortunately, there was one last Blot in her gigantic carcass’s path and, unhindered, it sapped thirty-five percent of her energy, which bought me another few seconds.
I summoned the spirits of the Crusher and Snow Ghoul almost simultaneously. The first wrapped me in an impenetrable black fog, and the second slammed full force into the disoriented beast’s body. A loud hiss trumpeted out like a heavy sigh. The monster’s life supply immediately fell by thirty-five percent.
The fog the Crusher spirit created around me didn’t prevent me from watching the significantly smaller coal-black spot flinging itself from side to side. The wounded female couldn’t see me though.
“Mee!” I shouted. “Now!”
A few quick claps and the Ticks stuck into the beast’s side, draining its mana supply in a matter of seconds.
And then came the time for a second Lightning.
― Attention! You have activated Glitterspark Eel’s Chain Lightning!
― Your opponent, Female Dartan Whipsnake (29), will be immobilized for 45 seconds!
To the left, I heard some rustling. That’s Midori racing toward the frozen beast, not wasting time. I considered it for an instant and followed after her. As I watched the dryad uncork an elongated phial and start to pour its contents down the monster’s throat, I wanted to shout that we’d better kill this thing while we had the chance, but I stopped dead in my tracks.
A novel message had suddenly appeared before me.
- Attention, Hunter! For valor displayed in capturing a dark beast, your reputation with the Order of Monster Hunters will be increased by 1000 points!
- Current reputation: 10930.
- Attention! Your reputation with the order is high enough for your first promotion!
- Congratulations! From now on, your title will be – Senior Hunter!
- From now on, you will receive an 80% discount on all items available in any of the order’s arsenals!
- From now on, all lower-rank monster hunters are required to obey you!
- Congratulations! You receive:
- Monster Hunter Token (5000).
- Attention, Senior Hunter! The Higher Powers smile upon you! You have replicated the first achievement of the Founder of the Order of Monster Hunters, Gunnar the Destroyer! You are the first member of the order to reach the rank of Senior Hunter in 500 years!
- Congratulations! You receive:
- Monster Hunter Token (30000).
- Amulet of Gunnar the Destroyer (1).
- Attention, Senior Hunter! Your reputation with the order is high enough to choose a Path!
- Would you like to choose a Path?
Chapter 14
THE BAFFLEMENT I FELT seeing the strange messages didn’t last long. Grudgingly swiping them into my archives, I ran over to the unmoving beast. Just then, Midori was pouring another dose of potion into its vast maw. Despite the disgusting smell coming off the female whipsnake’s slime, my nose picked up a sharp herbal aroma.
“We should finish her off while we have the chance!” I said, breathing heavily. “We only have a few seconds!”
I got ready to blast the monster with Lightning just in case.
The Dryad placed a reassuring hand on my wrist.
“There won’t be any need for that,” she smiled and, nodding at the snakelike carcass, made a suggestion: “Look closer. I know you’ll be able to see it.”
At first, I didn’t understand what she was driving at but then I figured it out.
― Attention! You have activated Red Scolopendra’s Sixth Sense!
So Midori was right after all! The beast’s mana supply had disappeared!
I glanced at the dryad uncomprehendingly. For the record, I still couldn’t see anything magical in her.
Clearly having guessed what I was thinking, Midori said sadly:
“I was able to see once, and I know perfectly well how my potions work.”
“Were you somehow able to block the mana from refilling her supply?!”
“Yes,” the dryad nodded. “And the second potion put her to sleep. The first one will last three hours, and the second – four.”
“Woah!” I sincerely admired.
Midori smiled in satisfaction.
“My Potion Making overtook my level long ago.”
By the way, the number hovering above the dryad’s head was twelve. Curious, so what if...? As if having read my thoughts, Midori shook her head and said:
“Alas, I cannot share the recipes of dryad-kind with you. I already told Master Mee the same.”
What a little sneak. So, I didn’t merit a head’s up? I turned and frowned. Gorgie was standing a few steps away with Mee on his back. By the gremlin’s lowered ears, I could tell he was listening to our conversation.
When she noticed my state, Midori took it the wrong way and hurried to explain:
“It’s not that I don’t want to share my knowledge with you! After what you just did – it would be the least I could do.”
Her hand touched my wrist again, which made my throat run dry immediately. I could read unfeigned admiration in her emerald green eyes.
“You took down an enraged level twenty-nine monster practically all by yourself!”
My cheeks and ears felt like they were on fire. Thanks to the low light, my embarrassment went unnoticed.
Meanwhile Midori took a heavy sigh and picked back up:
“Alas, dryad knowledge is for dryads only. Such is the law of the Great System. Here, look.”
She extended me one of her phials. I quickly read the description and realized she wasn’t lying. There was a line in the level twenty-two sleeping potion’s description saying it’s use was restricted to dryads only.
“The recipes are the same way,” she added.
“Thank you for the explanation,” I nodded. “Would you allow me one more question?”
“Of course.”
“How are you able to brew magical potions without a mana supply?”
“Who said these potions are magical?” Midori smiled mischievously.
Seeing my stretched-out face, she chuckled:
“Nothing but the proper combination of botanicals – plain and simple!”
Our short conversat
ion, lasting no more than two minutes, was interrupted by the coming of the remaining “participants” in the hunt.
For the next hour we were busy loading the big huge carcass onto the largest sleigh from the Hornet’s “caravan.” Or rather, Tusk, Hedgehog and Gorgie were. And Gino was running all around them like a mother hen clucking advice or shouting at his familiar and our prisoner. For totally obvious reasons, the old man treated Gorgie with caution and respect.
Midori, Maya, Mee and I weren’t wasting time though. We walked through the raider encampment and gathered up everything we could use or sell. In the end, when we were done loading the female whipsnake and gathering the trophies, our small caravan consisted of a wagon, two large sleighs and a dozen horses loaded down with all manner of bags and boxes. Other than harnesses and feed for the horses, we discovered a respectable amount of simple silver and gold jewelry in the tents as well as coins of various denomination to the tune of almost five hundred gold. Add the weapons and coin purses from the dead raiders to that and we had quite the tidy sum. Tusk found a few barrels of ale and was delighted like a little kid, constantly repeating that journeying with a mage always leads to profit.
The Dark Continent (Underdog Book #3): LitRPG Series Page 13