The giant monster sinks back beneath the surface of the water. Just as I'm about to follow it in, the water bulges upwards as the Ancient Grand Coppercoil Eel propels itself out of it. Time almost seems to slow as I take in the grandiose spectacle of the almost twenty-five meter (~82 feet~) long monster arching through the air, soaking the shore of the lake in the process.
As it lands, it takes advantage of its momentum to slither around me, trying to entrap me in its coils. A threatening series of snaps and bangs sound as it shudders slightly, sparks arcing off its body as that same acrid smell from before returns.
I'm unable to move in time, and receive the brunt of the attack. And, unfortunately for me, this isn't a magical attack, nor is it direct physical damage, meaning my two Skills 'Refractive Shell' and 'Jagged Scales' are unable to return a portion of the damage to the Eel.
*Status attempted to be reflected via Lustrous Fur: Lightning-Rod (Grand). Failed, Target Resistance too high.*
*Status attempted to be reflected via Lustrous Fur: Paralysis (Grand). Failed, Target Resistance too high.*
Ah, that's good. Lustrous Fur is able to prevent me from being afflicted with Statuses that happen as a secondary reaction to an attack, and instead reflects the Status onto the attacker. If the Eel was to use a Spell or Skill that only applied a Status, however, I'd have to rely on my Resistance Skills and Status Shield.
Even though it was a direct hit, I'm not too badly hurt. I manage to land a Poison Spit Attack near its gills before leaping out of the Eels' coils. The Eel recoils slightly before closing the slits tightly.
Its body is much thicker than a mans chest, and carries the odd color of heavily oxidized bronze, with mottled dark gray spots interspersed with gleaming spots of metallic gold. Indeed, its skin seems to be truly composed of the three most conductive metals. Of course, gold doesn't really oxidize, and so those spots alone shine brightly.
Its overall looks are those of an electric eel, though its gaping maw reveals serrated, triangular teeth, along with what seems to be a set of pharyngeal jaws deeper inside. I don't want to get grabbed by those.
Shadow raises a hand and sends a Razor Wind aimed at its supposedly more vulnerable underside. A terrible grinding noise ensues as bright sparks, not unlike those produced by using an angle cutter to grind metal, shower the cavern floor.
The Eel reels back from the force of the impact, but once the shower of sparks die down, it's revealed that we only managed to shave off the top layer of its skin, exposing fresh silver-flecked copper.
"Tch"
Shadow clicks her tongue at this. I decide to hang back and let her handle combat for once. As she rushes the Coppercoil Eel, claws at the ready, I take the chance to look at its Status.
Unnamed
Species: Ancient Grand Coppercoil Eel (Itchyo-oid) (EXRare)
Gender: Male
Status: Poisoned (Normal)
HP: 6000/6250
MP: 3950/4000
SP: 6100/6250
Atk: 1000
Arm: 1250 (-450 VS Dark, -250 VS Fire)
M.Atk: 750
M.Arm: 800 (-300 VS Dark, -200 VS Fire)
Spd: 1100
Str: 1000 (MAX)
Con: 1250 (MAX)
Int: 750 (MAX)
Wil: 800 (MAX)
Dex: 900 (MAX)
Skills:
Permeable Skin (Great) - Aquatic Mobility (Grand)
Aquatic Senses (Grand) - Great Swallow (Normal)
Elemental Expertise: Lightning (Normal) - Elemental Affinity: Water (Great)
Charge (Grand - Unique(Coppercoil Eel)) - Discharge (Grand - Unique(Coppercoil Eel))
Hadopelagic Adaptation (Great) - Condition Resistance: Lightning-Rod (Grand)
C.R: Paralysis (Grand) - C.R: Doom (Grand)
C.R: Hypothermia (Great) - Damage Immunity: Lightning (True)
Damage Immunity: Water (Normal) - Damage Immunity: Dark (Lesser)
Damage Resistance: Air (Normal) - D.R: Earth (Great)
D.R: Cold (Great) - D.R: Light (Lesser)
Regenerate: HP (Normal) - Hagfish Mucous (Normal)
Water Breath (Normal) - Inescapable Jaws (Grand)
Spells:
Lightning Cannon (Normal) - Static (Normal)
Lightningbolt (Normal) - Control: Water (Lesser)
Drowning Bubble (Normal) - Tidal Wave (Normal)
Social Titles:
Ancient One - Dragon Slayer
King of the Forbidden Lake - True Final Form
W-what? It's got a natural weakness to Dark, yet it has Dark Immunity (Lesser)?!
N-no, wait, that makes sense. If its main prey is the Olms, who are Water/Dark Dragon Hybrids, then it would follow that over its lifetime it's been exposed to a lot of Dark damage. Unfortunately for it, it's never met someone able to wield Fire before.
The Coppercoil Eel is by now covered in deep gashes, some even exposing its insulating layer of tissue. It's a matte black color, not unlike rubber. Shadow leaps back as it threatens with another Discharge.
Instead, once Shadow backs off, a thick mucous begins oozing from its body. It was covered in a film of slime before, but this coating is much thicker, in both senses. Where the mucous touches the still wet cavern floor, it takes on a milky blue hue as it swells dramatically, seeming to become thicker and very tacky, much like glue.
It's clearly using its Hagfish Mucous. Like the hagfish of Earth, a thick layer of slime is produced. It then swells greatly in response to water, creating a viscous substance that potentially clogs the gills of its attacker, choking it.
Only, this Skill is the improved form of Thick Mucous. The Coppercoil Eel is now immune to piercing and slashing type attacks, as well as impossible to restrain.
The Coppercoil Eel rears its head backwards, seeming to suck in air as it does so. Water Breath!
Shadow responds immediately to my thoughts. Raising a hand, she uses Rock Formation: Wall to create a large, vertical slab of pure Abyssinite. The high powered water jet that the Eel fires slams into the rock with a colossal thud. The pitch black rock shudders as an ever spreading web of hairline cracks start to show.
"We need to move. That thing's actually breaking the rock!" I warn Shadow. The Light Spell that we've kept active until now goes out, plunging the entire area into darkness. Utilizing this, we slip into the darkness using Shadow Creep.
Shards of Abyssinite shower the area as the rock gives way to the incessant torrent of water produced by the Coppercoil Eel. It seems pleased with itself despite being unable to see where we went before the cloud of debris lifts.
Its smugness rapidly gives way to alarm, however, when it sees that we're gone. It immediately coils up on itself, its body shaking as if it's shivering from the cold. Most likely, it's using the muscle contractions to power its Charge.
Not giving it a moment to breathe, we emerge from the shadows behind it. Several Fireballs are cast, each slamming into different parts of its body. The areas hit sizzle and hiss as the mucous covering it flash-evaporates. Primal fear overtakes the Eel. Fire is it's greatest weakness, and along with the poison, it's getting very hurt.
However, there are two of us. As it turns towards the lake, its only hope of escape from the scary fire and heat, it spots me. It then turns back to where the Fireballs came from, and sees Shadow. The Eel gives a harrowing roar, realizing its reign is about to end.
Not giving up, it quickly re-applies a coating of Hagfish Mucous before charging towards me. As I'm the only thing between it and potential salvation, I'm the obvious choice. I stand my ground.
As the giant monster slithers towards me, its massive jaws agape and ready to swallow me whole, I make my move. Tensing my muscles, I cast Red Hot Claw on myself. Despite the name, it will apply Fire to any physical attacks made within the duration of the Spell.
Just when it's about to perform that final lunge to swallow me, angling its trajectory such that it'll start with my head, leaving its stomach just in front of me.
I let it all loose, and punch with all my might.
A disgusting noise sounds as the Ancient Grand Coppercoil Eel it torn in two from the impact. My punch landed just between its pectoral fins, obliterating that portion of body in a fiery explosion, sending the rest skywards with the sudden change of momentum.
A mighty splash announces that its head has hit the water. It bobs on the surface for a moment before sinking, leaving an ever spreading stain of dark red behind.
A resounding thud, and the mangled remains of its lower body splat onto the cavern floor. I heave for air, even if I don't need to breathe, on pure reflex. Adrenaline, or the monster equivalent, surges through me. If I'd hesitated just a moment longer, or even missed, I'd been swallowed.
I doubt the Eel would have won just because of that, but being eaten alive by a twenty-five meter Eel is not an experience I want to have.
*Take Dominion of Greater Will: Ancient Grand Coppercoil Eel?*
Yes. Let's look over what I got later. Actually, it's been a long while since I took a look at my Status...
"Amazing display, too bad we ripped it apart." Shadow walks up to me, a satisfied smile on her face. Having been asleep for so long, no doubt it felt amazing to her to go all out. I wince slightly as I notice her neck having a thin, almost invisible, scar on it.
"One more Skill, and we can Evolve..." I smile, exited at the prospect.
"We should still wait. I get the sense that if we wait with Evolving until after we've eaten the three different saps produced by Yggdrasils saplings, something good will happen." Shadow advises. Right, hadn't considered that. I wonder what effect it'll have on me.
Shadow grins before embracing me, letting us become one again. I briefly look through her side of the encounter, and feel the fear she had when the Eel almost ate me. "I'm sorry if I worried you, just then. I'd just have torn it to shreds from the inside if I missed that punch..." I tell her telepathically.
"I... I was a bit worried..."
Shadow trails off, unused to this emotion. Indeed, her voice is more expressive now since she woke up again. Before, it was flat and almost cold to listen to. Now it's a little easier to tell her state of mind when she speaks, without relying on our innate connection to tell.
Sakaya, the Death Knight and the Osseous Slime hesitantly approach me.
"W-wow! You were amazing! That last stand-off you had, it was like something out of a Daring Champion novel!" Sakaya cheers before blushing, seemingly embarrassed by having revealed to me that she reads those books. Indeed, Daring Champion is a famous series of novels centered around the brave Champion Heral Voidreiser, and his various battles with legendary monsters.
It's very popular with young girls. I've only heard of it because both Bayle and Faye read them when they were younger. The books themselves are cheaply made and each story isn't very long, so even commoners would be able to buy and read them.
I decide to bring with me the remains of the Coppercoil Eel. Even if it's quite mangled, the hindmost part of it is relatively undamaged, and should be salvageable.
"Let's leave for now. I don't think the Olms will dare approach the shore anytime soon." I gently usher Sakaya towards the tunnel we came from. I'm not even entirely sure what the consequences will be for the lake, now that its apex predator is gone.
*User will be warned if the Balance of their Domain is at risk. Presently, stability is very high, no action required.*
World Knowledge reassures me. It's not only aiding me by telling me about things, it's also constantly monitoring the Domain. However, it would only alert me if something got so bad as only my intervention could fix it.
Once Sakaya, the Death Knight and the Osseous Slime have settled onto my back, I begin moving up the slope towards the surface. Meanwhile, I take stock of what I've gotten from Power Osmosis.
*Displaying Osmosis Results*
*Warning: Stats of ??? were corrupted. Did not absorb.*
*Warning: Most Skills of ??? were corrupted. 2 Skills were able to be absorbed.*
*Warning: Spells of ??? were corrupted. Did not absorb.*
*Total Stats Absorbed: STR: 1590, CON: 1657, INT: 986, WIS: 1065, DEX: 1454.*
*Skills Absorbed:
- Weapon Affinity: All (Normal) - Replaces all known Weapon Affinities. Replaced Skills converted into Skill Expertise. Weapon Affinity: All (Normal) Becomes Weapon Expertise: All (Normal).
- Weapon Expertise: All (Normal) - Raises the Attack and Armor bonuses for all types of Weapons by 125% and lowers the SP cost of using them by 25%.
- Presence Sense (Great) - Allows the User to sense the life force of surrounding entities, even if they are otherwise hidden. Costs MP to use, with the cost increasing the larger the area scanned becomes. Can be used remotely with Hive Mind.
- Crystallize (Normal) - The User secretes a special liquid that is able to induce the rapid crystallization of any material. If used on areas of concentrated Magic, the subsequent reaction produces a Magic Crystal with a quality and Elemental makeup dependent on the Magic used to make it.
- Refractive Shell (Normal) - Reflects 50% of received Magical Damage onto the attacker.
- Geovore (Grand) - Replaces Geovore (Great), replaced Skill converted to Skill Expertise.
- Share Nutrients (Great - Unique(Barometz)) - User drains their own SP, filling the SP of the target. Target is able to be cured of Starving via this transfusion.
- Verdant Body (Normal) - User produces chloroplasts in their tissues, enabling the usage of photosynthesis to convert air, water and sunlight into SP.
- Rotten Luck (Great - Unique(Draugr)) - User causes the probability of Fate to shift around the target, greatly increasing the likelihood that an unfortunate outcome is reached. Can be used via Hivemind.
- Size Change (Normal - Unique(Draugr)) - User can change their size, either reducing in size down to 10% of their original size, or increasing in size up to three times their original size. Stats are likewise changed, but in the case of increasing size, they only scale to a maximum of 25% increase over normal.
- Ethereal Phase (Normal - Unique(Undead) - User shifts their body along dimensions, becoming intangible to the physical World, allowing the User to phase through solid objects. When not immersed in a physical object, drain MP at 5% of max per minute, increase this to 10% per minute when immersed in a physical object. The user is also immune to Physical damage of all sources, but takes triple damage from Magical damage from all sources when using this Skill.
- Blaze Coat (Normal) - User generates combustible materials and stores them securely in a body-part such as scales or hair. Once this part is shed, the combustible materials activate and become highly reactive and do not differentiate friend from foe.
- Friction Burn (Great - Unique(Flintermatch)) - Enables the User to generate a shower of high-temperature embers by inducing friction onto a body-part such as tail or limb. Synergises with Blaze Coat, drastically increasing the number of embers created, and their temperature in addition to more easily triggering the activation of Blaze Coat.
- Scale Scatter (Normal) - Some scales on the User detaches at the User's behest. Synergises with Blaze Coat, letting the User easily scatter their payload about.
- Sky King (Grand) - User attains complete control of their movements whilst flying. Shields the User from the cold and forces of friction when going at high speed. Users Speed is also doubled whilst flying or using Hover.
- Flight (Grand) converted to Tier Token. Current count: 21
- Aerial Ace (Great) replaces Aerial Acrobatics (Lesser). Replaced Skill converted into Skill Expertise. - User can effectively make dime-point turns in the air. No drop in flight performance if User flies upside down. Enables flying backwards at the same speed as normal forward movement, though the conversion of momentum still needs to take place in this instance.
- Presence Sense (Great) converted into Skill Expertise. Presence Sense (Great) becomes Awareness (Lesser).
- Awareness (Lesser) - Constantly applies the effect of Presence Sense at no cost, though the area scanned is now dependent on Skill Tier. Current area scanned: 25 Meter (~82 feet~) radius.
- Damage Immunity: Air (Grand) - Reduces all Air Damage taken by 90%.
- Condition Resistance: Doom (Grand) converted to Tier Token. Current count: 24
- Recoil Resistance (Great) - Reduces damage the user inflicts on itself as the direct consequence to an attack by 50%. Reduces the damage taken by damage reflection Skills such as Prickly Fur and Refractive Shell by 25%.
-Â Permeable Skin (Great) converted to Tier Token, as Anaerobic makes this Skill useless. Current count: 25
- Aquatic Mobility (Grand) replaces Aquatic Mobility (Normal). Replaced Skill converted into Tier Token. Current count: 26
- Aquatic Senses (Grand) replaces Aquatic Sight (Normal). Replaced Skill converted into Tier Token. Current count: 27. - Allows the User to see, hear and sense the life force of other entities under water. Increases the range of Awareness by 25 Meters (~82 feet~) when underwater.
- Great Swallow (Normal) becomes Skill Expertise. Great Swallow (Great) becomes Great Swallow (Grand).
- Elemental Expertise: Lightning (Normal) converted to Skill Expertise. Elemental Expertise: All (Lesser) becomes Elemental Expertise: All (Normal).
- Elemental Affinity: Water (Great) converted to Skill Expertise.
-Â Charge (Grand - Unique(Coppercoil Eel)) - Enables the User to store large amounts of Lightning Element in a special organ. The Lightning Element is generated by movement, but can also be absorbed from Lightning attacks. Once maximum charge is reached, the Skill deactivates, preventing the overload of the storage organ. Unused charge will slowly dissipate over a long period of time.
- Discharge (Grand - Unique(Coppercoil Eel)) - Releases the pent up Lightning Element stored in the special organ. User can chose whether to release the entire charge, or only parts of it. Deals Physical Lightning damage in an area around the User, but the release will favor hitting entities afflicted with Lightning-Rod.
-Â Hadopelagic Adaptation (Great) - User is entirely immune to the immense pressures found at the very bottom of the World's oceans. Would also drastically decrease the oxygen consumption of the User, but this feature is useless due to Anaerobic.
- Condition Resistance: Lightning-Rod (Grand) - Completely prevents the User from being afflicted by the Lightning-Rod Status.
-Â C.R: Paralysis (Grand) converted to Tier Token. Current count: 30.
- C.R: Doom (Grand) converted to Tier Token. Current count: 33.
-Â C.R: Hypothermia (Great) converted to Tier Token. Current count: 35
- Damage Immunity: Lightning (True) - User is entirely immune to Lightning Damage, even if it's reflected via Skills such as Prickly Fur and Refractive Shell.
-Â Damage Immunity: Water (Normal) replaces Damage Resistance: Water (Lesser), replaced Skill converted into Skill Expertise.
- Damage Immunity: Dark (Lesser) converted into Skill Expertise.
-Â Damage Resistance: Air (Normal) converted into Skill Expertise.
- D.R: Earth (Great) replaces Damage Resistance: Earth (Normal). Replaced Skill converted into Skill Expertise.
-Â D.R: Cold (Great) converted into Skill Expertise.
- D.R: Light (Lesser) - Reduces the damage taken by Light Element attacks by 12.5% before Atk Vs Arm/M.Atk Vs M.Arm calculation.
-Â Regenerate: HP (Normal) converted into Tier Token. Current Count: 36
- Hagfish Mucous (Normal) replaces Thick Mucous (Normal). Replaced Skill converted into Skill Expertise. - In addition to the immunity to piercing and slashing attacks afforded by the previous rank, the mucous now reacts to water by becoming glue-like, ensnaring anything that happens to get it onto itself. User is immune to this effect.
-Â Water Breath (Normal) - User exhales a powerful jet of Water that deals Physical Water damage and is able to ignore 12.5% of the targets Armor value when calculating damage.
- Inescapable Jaws (Grand) - If the User bites down, it is over. Nothing will force the User to let go, only the complete severing of the bitten limb or the complete devouring of the target lets the User release their bite.*
*Spells Absorbed:
-Â Lightning Cannon (Normal) replaces Lightning Cannon (Lesser), replaced Spell converted into Spell Expertise.
- Static (Normal) - Inflicts Lightning-Rod (Normal) on the target, with an additional 25% chance to inflict Paralysis (Lesser) on the target as well.
-Â Lightningbolt (Normal) - Summons a bolt of pure Lightning Element to strike the target, with a small chance (~10%) to strike the target twice. Both hits deal the same damage. Requires access to open air for full damage, otherwise damage is reduced by 50%.
- Control: Water (Lesser) converted into Spell Expertise.
-Â Drowning Bubble (Normal) - The targets breathing is prevented by summoning a bubble of water to cover their nose. Inflicts the Suffocating (Normal) Status. Useless against targets with either Permeable Skin, Aquatic Adaptation or Anaerobic.
- Tidal Wave (Normal) - Summons a gigantic wave of pure Water Element to crash onto the target area, crushing anything in its path before dragging it back towards the waves' point of origin. Reduces casting cost if there's a large body of water nearby.*
My mind reels from the onslaught of information. Holy shit, that's so many new Skills! And... I'm getting real close to reaching max in some of my Stats. Just thinking about it makes my stomach squirm with anxiety.
"Relax, it's not like the Stygian Medusa will be as ridiculously powerful as the Eel was."
Shadow reassures me, though I sense a bit of hesitation. Seems she's caught up in the description of Inescapable Jaws. She might be reconsidering the danger I was in if I got bit by the Eel.
"Don't worry about that Skill. It's over and done with, and if we ever see another monster with that Skill, we'll just be very careful." I try to soothe Shadow as we start nearing the end of the slippery tunnel.
The way back was uneventful, and I successfully delivered Sakaya to her very worried Trusted who was waiting in the grove for her. Their relief gives way to equal parts fascination and abject horror as Sakaya eagerly tells of her adventure with me.
I ignore them, walking back into my cave to rest and to ponder something important. What to do with all my Tier Tokens.