laulau20

Chapter 94: Medium Danger

Added 2025-07-03 22:10:03 +0000 UTC

The world turned blinding white as Dehlia’s smoke grenade burst.

“Follow me!” Andrew said as he ran away across the street. James couldn’t see him, but decided to trust his voice. A few seconds later, James emerged from the smokescreen—Andrew and the others already ahead.

He regretted not bringing his wings—but that regret quickly vanished. Five knights blocked his path. Flanking them were five archers.

Golden motes of light gathered around their arrows. With a flash, the projectiles honed in on James’ chest. He didn’t panic. He knew the weakness of bow skills—if the arrow hit anything, the homing effect would be canceled.

James conjured ice shields around himself. The arrow pierced through the ice as if it were paper, but the golden motes dimmed as they struck. The weapon skill was negated.

“Gah! What the—” James grunted. One arrow stabbed into his side, pushing through his dustmail. It didn’t glow, it didn’t flash—but it still hurt. He had grown too used to goblin arrows and other low-level enemies. These knights weren’t goblins. Their stats were much higher.

“Chase him! Kill all monsters in the city!” a knight bellowed.

James felt a chill on his back. He spun around—just in time to catch a flash of gold zipping past his left eye.

Pain surged from his arm.

“ARGH!!” James screamed. Blood spurted from his left arm—bisected at the elbow.

“Dehlia! Smoke! Keep running! Once you get to the get to the gate, Don’t stray from it! Kouki, guard them!” Andrew barked out orders.

Dehlia responded, lobbing another smoke grenade toward James. With the knights blocking Andrew’s path, James had no choice but to break off. He turned and dashed down a narrow alley, hoping the path would buy him time.

[Life Ring activated. You will grow a new hand in one minute. Life Ring destroyed.]

“Fuck you! I need that hand now!” James cursed.

On one hand, he was grateful—the bleeding had stopped, and the Life Ring had activated despite his severed arm. On the other hand, The knights were chasing him and he needed the hand to regenerate to fought them off. His new hand was regenerating, but the process was agonizingly slow.

“What do I have? Shit.” James racked his brain, firing ice magic haphazardly behind him to buy time from the charging knight.

Then it hit him.
“Oh yeah. Mind magic.”

Under pressure, his brain kicked into overdrive. Thanks to his mana cores, he molded his spell with blinding speed and fired it at the incoming knight. The knight had just activated a lunging skill—but instead of reaching James, he crashed into a building at the intersection, his trajectory skewed by the mental assault.

James let out a breath of relief.
“I’ve really been underestimating mind magic…”
The spell, Mind Flay, should last at least a minute—more than enough time to run and regroup with Andrew.

But then—
“Blessing of the Holy Knight!”

A radiant blue aura enveloped the fallen knight. He stood up—completely unfazed—as if James’ magic had never touched him.

James stared, mouth agape.
“What the—”
Then he ran. Again. His feet were faster than his mouth.

He stumbled into a small square with a well at the center. Desperate, he grabbed his shield—only to remember too late that its skill had already been used. It was still on cooldown.

The knight lunged. James, panicking, met the slash with his shield, anyway.

CRACK!
The blade cleaved straight through the shield—and took half of his Golem arm with it.

James was sent flying.

Dazed, lying on his back, he looked up at the overcast sky. He was out of options. Lightning crackled from his horn, but the knight’s armor deflected it like nothing. His magic was ineffective. His shield was gone. His hands—both—were unusable.

He had one more trick left: his poison fang.

But there was no way he could get close enough to bite the knight. Not like this.

Golden motes of light gathered on the knight’s sword. James saw his chance.

With a flick, his tongue lashed out like a whip, wrapping around the knight’s legs. The knight stumbled, his balance broken—and James lunged.

His Nirvok tongue was laced with poison, and now was the time to use it to the fullest.

Like a beast, James pounced, jaws open, aiming to bite. But unlike the orc boss from the trial dungeon, there were no gaps—no soft spots in this knight’s plate mail. The armor was seamless. Impenetrable.

James grappled him anyway. His tongue slithered along the knight’s body, searching desperately for an opening to deliver the poison. The knight fought back fiercely. James managed to mount him, pushing the knight down—but the knight surged back up, muscles bulging beneath steel, and threw James.

Straight into the well.

“Shit—!”

Unintentionally, James’ tongue was still wrapped around the knight’s leg—and it dragged the knight down with him.

They crashed into the bottom with a loud splash. Water surged up to James’ face, hitting his nose and eyes.

“Gah!” James gasped, coughing. The fall had knocked the wind out of him.

Thankfully, the water was only ankle-deep. For a normal person, this fall would’ve shattered bones—maybe even killed. But James wasn’t normal. He was a survivor. Enhanced stats, reinforced body—this barely fazed him.

The knight hit the ground a second later, pulled by the coiled tongue. He landed upright, armor clanking, eyes glowing with fury.

“Rragh!” he roared, swinging his sword in a tight arc.

Slash!

James screamed. Pain shot through him as the blade severed his tongue. The tongue had served his purpose. it had been a minute.

“Gah—my tongue!”

His eyes widened. His arm—it wasn’t the bulky, muscular Minotaur arm he’d grown used to. It had changed. Now it was slimmer, shaped like a human arm, covered in soft, striped fur. Like the arm he had when Chimera first accepted the tiger’s DNA.

“What the hell—!?” James muttered in shock. He looked up.

“Die!” the knight roared, sword raised.

No time to think. No time to curse.

James reached behind his back and drew his longsword and activated his skill with his human hand.

“Repair my golem arm—!”

[Shop cannot be used during combat.]

“Fuck!”

He was off-balance. Disoriented. The knight lunged forward.

James met him, sword ready, gritting his teeth.

A weapon skill clash echoed through the dark dungeon. Sparks danced in the gloom.

Without his Minotaur arm—and its bonus to strength—James lost the clash.

His sword was repelled with brutal force. The knight’s blade followed through and slashed across James’ chest, carving a deep gash on his chest.

“Gah—!”

James collapsed, sprawling across the damp stone floor. The knight loomed over him like a reaper. James’ breath came ragged. His heartbeat pounded in his ears. Darkness crept at the edges of his vision.

The knight smirked. Victory was within his grasp.

James stared up at him, trying to focus. He only had one chance.

He’d used every card. Every trick. It had been a long time since James had been pushed this far.

He thought he was the strongest survivor. He was the strongest survivors.

But this knight—this monster—was different. Trained. Disciplined. Forged in endless battle, killing monsters day in and day out. He wasn’t just a soldier. He was chosen. Blessed by his god—Mystis, the cerulean deity.

This wasn’t just a man. This was the world’s immune response.

James had put up a good fight. The knight acknowledged that. surely he will reach a new height if he were to kill this man.

But James had survived the hell of the dungeon trial. Who had stared down abominations and won. His tenacity was his blade. His will—indestructible.

He fired his final card.

A surge of lightning burst from the horn on his forehead. The bolt seared through the knight’s face, tearing away one glowing blue eye.

“RAGH!!”

James didn’t stop.

Golden motes shimmered on his sword—Hurricane.

In a single, fluid motion, his blade traced a savage diagonal arc—shhk!—cleaving the knight’s arm clean off at the elbow.

“ARGH!!!” the knight howled, staggering backward. His sword hand flew through the air. The sacred blue light protecting him dimmed. Fear bloomed in his remaining eye.

Panicked, he leapt for his fallen sword.

But James didn’t give him the chance.

Vorpal Lunge.

Golden light wrapped around James as he launched forward like a bullet. The knight’s fingers were just inches from the hilt—but James was faster.

His blade traced a perfect, gleaming arc—straight across the knight’s neck.

Schlick.

The head flew free, tumbling as the body crumpled.

With that, the knight’s life faded. James had triumphed.

He had defeated his first monster in a Medium Dungeon.

[Congratulations. You have slain the Sword of Mystis.
You have leveled up to Level 53.
You have earned 1,000 coins.
Your Attacker Class has leveled up to Level 34.
Your hostility to Mystis Defenders is now at maximum.]

“Whoa… 1,000 coins? High risk, high gain, huh…” James muttered, collapsing against the damp wall. Pain flared through his limbs. “Hematonic and health potion, please.”

[You have purchased:
– Hematonic Potion
– Health Potion

Reminder: Health Potions are applied externally to wounds.
Hematonic Potions are to be drank.

Do you want to repair your Golem Arm for 250 coins?]

“Thanks… and yes. Give me back my Golem arm.” James chuckled weakly.

A blip of white light shimmered before him, teleporting a black box to his location.

In total, the recovery cost him 400 coins. He gained 600 coins.

He poured the Health Potion across his split chest and drank the Hematonic Potion. Warmth radiated through his body as torn muscle and broken flesh knitted together. Even his tongue—previously severed—was whole again.

But something was wrong.

He flicked his tongue instinctively. too short. it felt normal.

It was human’s.

“What the—where’s my Minotaur arm? And my Nirvok tongue?” James asked in a panic.

[Alert:
If more than 70% of a body part is lost, Chimera will not restore the Chimera component.
If sufficient organic material remains, it will instead default to Survivor James’ original body schema.]

“Huh?”

James bolted upright and immediately opened his status screen. As he feared, three parts had vanished from his Chimera slots.

“Fuck! My spinneret is gone! My arm and tongue too!” he shouted, fury rising.

He had completely forgotten that Chimera parts could be lost—permanently.

Without the spinneret, he couldn’t make rope or silk again. Unless he found another spider monster… those abilities were gone.

“Shit. Then what does this guy have?” James turned to the fallen knight, eyes burning.

[This is the body of a human. And therefore, there is no particular advantage of plundering it. Plundering a human body part will restore survivor’s James’ body to its defaults body schematics.]

James clenched his teeth.

All of that pain, and not even a single useful part to salvage.

Just his luck.

“Fuck!” James cursed. “No, wait. These guys came after me because I have the face of an orc. What if I turned my face into a human?”

He paused, then shook his head.

“No, no… if I turn back into a human, I’ll lose the firefur. I won’t be able to set myself on fire anymore. That’s fine, I still have my fire lungs… but what if someone grabs me? What if I’m plunged into a cold environment?”

James mulled over his options, pacing slightly in the damp stone chamber.

This dungeon favored humans, not monsters.

He looked closely at the knight’s corpse. Maybe there was something to gain. Stripping the body, James examined the armor—it didn’t fit. He picked up the sword, but the system didn’t respond. No glow. No skill prompt.

Just a heavy slab of iron in his hand.

“There’s nothing!” James whined. “I can’t even use this corpse for anything!”

[You may sell the corpse and equipment for 100 coins.]

As if pitying him, the system offered a solution.

James usually let his Chimera skill absorb monster corpses. If not, he’d butcher them for parts or food. Selling a corpse was rare for him—more common among other survivors who didn’t have his options.

He stood there, hesitating.

There was no one chasing him. The knights hadn’t followed him into the well.

He had time.

So he waited, thinking.

Unaware that he was no longer alone…

In the shadows of the well, something ancient stirred.
And the dark forces within were far from idle.

[Name: James]
Age: 35
Sex: Male
Level: 53
Coins: 2300
Merit: 10

Stats

STR: 165 (↑3)
DEX: 162 (↑2)
MAGIC: 122 (↑3)
MANA: 1120 (↑20)

Skills

Novice Axe Mastery Level 5 (Powerstrike, V-slash, Boomerang)
Novice Sword Mastery Level 1 (Hurricane, Vorpal Lunge)
Novice Bow Mastery Level 1 (Quickshot, Homing Shot)
Beginner Dagger Mastery Level 1

Magic

Mind Flay
Sense Alteration
Mana Sonar

Class

Attacker (Level 34) (↑1)

+1 STR, +1 DEX per level
+10% damage when attacking

Shop (Level 2)

Health Potion (100 coins)
Hematonic Potion (50 coins)
High Potion (300 coins)
Antidote (50 coins)
Bullets (10 coins/round)
Grenades / Flashbang (50 coins/piece)
Arrow (50 coins/dozen)
Metal Pocket Arrow (100 coins/dozen)
Poison Dart (10 coins/round)
Merit Shop (10 merit/skill)
Sell / Repair Function

Unique Skill–Chimera Level 2 (1 extra slot available)

Stomach Slot: Goblin Stomach (Iron Guts)
Right Eye Slot: Eyes of Mana (Mana Sense)
Right Arm Slot: Golem Arm of Valhalla (STR +30%, Physical Resistance +30%, Mana -200, Repairable)
Leg Slot: Ratking’s Legs (STR +25%)
Lung Slot: Flaming Tiger’s Fire Lung (Fire Breathing, Mana -100, Magic -10)
Heart Slot: Golem Core (Poison Resistance, Mana -250, Magic -10, Repairable)
Torso Slot: Orc’s Torso
Head Slot: Orc’s Head
Mouth Slot: Shadow Snake Fang (Intermediate Life Leeching)
Skin Slot: Flaming Tiger Lord’s Firefur (Fire Cloak, Fire Resistance, Physical Resistance +15%, Mana -100, Magic -10)
Ear Slot: Land Shark’s Ear (Echolocation: 10m)
Extra Slot: Mana Core (Water Spells: Ice Spear, Water Manipulation, Magic +60, Mana +1000)
Extra Slot 3: Quetzalcoatl Horn (Lightning Shot: 20 Mana/shot)
Extra Slot 4: Mana Core (Wind Spells: Wind Gust, Wind Wall, Magic +20, Mana +300)