Chương 30: Chapter Twenty Nine

As the crab neared the doorway to an empty room, it briefly stopped; feeling confused as to why it was about to head inside. Its antenna could detect no trace of food coming from within. Or even the presence of a lesser rival. One it might defeat and consume. It was about to turn around, still able to detect some lingering remains of the recent battle scattered further down the hall, before a strange sensation overtook it.

Suddenly, despite its antenna being unable to detect it, the crab was filled with a certainty that there was something delicious inside that room. Something which, if it didn't move quickly, would soon be snatched up by one of its countless siblings. Taken away before it was even allowed a taste. The monster's legs moved almost independently. Dragging it through the doorway as the crab's eyes darted back and forth across the room, searching for its promised rewards.

Disappointment was barely allowed to form in its tiny mind before thick lashings wrapped themselves around its surprisingly brittle body. Ding! You have destroyed a 'LV: 5 Lesser Mad-Crab (F)' (2) Experience gained for Class: ' Treasure Hunter (B)' Ding! Constrict (F) Has leveled up! 7 – 8 Ding! Taunt (E) Has Leveled up! 8 – 9 Bob had been busy. Quite busy, in fact, as with this he was only five experience away from reaching level three in 'Treasure Hunter'.

As well as having mostly succeeded in ridding the second floor of all of its lower ranked crabs. His secret for doing so also happening to be his most maligned skill. Given all the bad memories associated with it, a greater portion of Bob hadn't been interested in ever using 'Taunt' again. In fact, the only reason he'd even had it equipped was because the system had automatically done so when he'd gained his last species level.

Something he couldn't help but feel grateful for now, as he carefully picked up the mostly-mashed crab and shoved its remains through the room's only window. Trying to prevent a repeat of his prior near day stuck in stasis mode. Unfortunately, Bob's brief moment of 'alone time' following the crab-feast hadn't lasted terribly long. Him barely making it three doors down before he was once again forced to use his newest ability. After which, he found near zero opportunity to ever again discontinue it.

While the bigger crabs had taken away the larger, choicer pieces to their den's downstairs, that hadn't meant that the area was fully cleaned of the remaining 'scraps'. And unfortunately, once their more intimidating cousins had vacated the floor, all the lesser bottom-feeders had come out of the woodwork. Only now, perhaps due to the recent attack, they rarely traveled alone. Each moderately sized crab being trailed by two or three of its smaller brethren.

All of them following so closely behind their 'protectors' that their auras almost blended into one. That is, until a few of the 'clingier' auras throughout the manor suddenly disappeared. After which, the remaining 'lesser' threats seemed content to spread themselves a bit further out. The funny part was, what primitive defensive tactics they'd managed to cook up would have done nothing to protect them from the octopus. It was simply too fast and powerful.

Capable of crushing all of them before even one could make an attempt at escape. It certainly managed to stymie Bob something awful, though. He'd had to sit there, stuck, watching as the surrounding area was infested with smaller crustaceans. All of which he could easily kill. But all of which also happened to be easily within sight of another crab. Which itself was in sight of another crab. Ad nauseum. Part of him thought it wouldn't matter.

That, if the crabs were stupid enough to forget about him immediately after one of their fellows stopped screaming about his existence, they also wouldn't connect the living box they had been chasing with the inanimate box that had replaced it. The rest of him wasn't quite so willing to test that hypothesis. For an entire day, he was driven insane by it. Crabs wandering nearly too far away from their companions. Entering almost too deeply into a room Bob was occupying. But always turning around.

Never quite lingering long enough for him to insure he wouldn't be seen. Eventually, it became too much. With Bob making what was objectively a very stupid decision. But, for once, one that actually worked out for him. As Bob watched a crab drift further and further away from the rest of its party, he found himself remembering taunting the fish at the beginning of his journey in the dead city. How he was able to affect it – and only it – even after it had already turned away from him.

His ability seeming to go from a radius effect to a targeted strike. Neither of which, looking back, seemed fully reliant on visual stimuli. He pondered the idea as he continued to observe. The thoughts existing more in his subconscious, than anywhere else. That is until he saw, for what felt like the hundredth time, the little crab start turning around just before Bob could get away with killing it. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

At which point, it felt like it just slipped out of him. He almost didn't believe he'd used the Skill until he noticed the crab reverse its steps. Ignoring its fellows as they traveled further down the hall and instead crawling its way through the doorway Bob was lurking behind. He'd tried to quickly reactivate 'Lifeless Disguise', thinking that the use of a Skill would have ended it, but was pleasantly surprised to find the ability still active. Apparently, 'Taunting' the crab not counting as 'movement'.

Something which, moments later, marked the demise of an oblivious crustacean. Life for Bob had been far more entertaining – and lucrative – since. The only real hiccup with his current strategy being that 'Taunt' didn't seem to be able to draw in the larger crabs. At least not at distance and operated through 'Treasure Sense' like he was doing with the smaller ones. Not that this bothered Bob terribly much.

Since, after all the annoying small-fry were taken care of, it would be relatively easy to ambush them one by one. In fact, the only real issue he was currently having was that he was actually too successful. His cup runneth over. And for once, Bob meant that near-literally. The crab finally tossed down to be devoured in the sands below, Bob turned his attention to the only real aggravation in his life. The pile of patinaed copper knickknacks tossed angrily into one of the room's corners.

With the majority of the lesser crabs exterminated, it had become far easier for Bob to make his way into certain sections of the second floor. Certain sections where the sunshine feel of further treasure had been radiating from. Further treasure which, in total, would easily take him to the next level. That is, if he could fit it all inside him. The problem, truthfully, wasn't even the silver candelabra. Or rather the mangled remains of what was once a silver candelabra.

Even were its awkward, misshapen form not taking up most of the room in his hollow body, he still wouldn't have been able to Tetris the mix of bookends, busts and unknown copper oddities in. There simply wasn't space. And, unfortunately, the only way he knew of to get more space, was to gain species levels. Which, obviously, required him to fit more treasure inside him. It was a vicious cycle which drove the mimic part of Bob's brain mad.

A small pit of anxiety forming up inside of him every time he had to leave the patinaed bits of treasure behind. The sensation eventually becoming enough of an issue that he'd ended up in his current predicament; having spent a considerable amount of time dragging each and every item into his temporary hideout. And now having nothing he could actually do with any of them. He'd already compressed the silver candelabra down as much as he could.

He'd considered trying to squash it together with some of the more delicate copper items, thinking it would be easier to make things fit that way, but was worried that he might not be able to separate them later; should he need the space for a more valuable bit of metal. A line of thought which, despite some very vocal objections from the newer bits of his brain, was pushing him closer and closer to just ignoring any copper he found altogether.

At a one to one-hundred ratio with silver, it just wasn't worth bringing with him. He'd been hoping that some of the items would have been classified as 'Treasures'. After all, if a battered gilded pendant found in a dung heap counted as one, how could an ancient piece of sunken treasure from a lost city not count? Unfortunately, the system didn't agree. Seeming to judge the corrosion caused by the long, watery stay to have reduced their value to mere scrap.

Something which had Bob silently judging the cultural level of the people living above him. Given that 'acclaim held in the eyes of fellow sapients' was supposed to be a calculated factor. Unfair judgment or not though, he had to leave it behind. No matter how delicious the pile of green-grey metal looked as it stared – temptingly – at him from the far corner. Luckily, it wasn't like the second floor had a monopoly on forgotten 'treasure'. Multiple 'pings' showing up both above and below him.

Some even seeming to be beneath the ground level; showing the possibility of a hidden basement or, potentially, a vault. The latter option obviously having far more appeal. Given the numerous larger crabs which still lingered below however, Bob would be doing a full exploration of the upper levels first. He wanted to make use of every opportunity available to him before heading back to the ground floor. Especially if there was any chance of him encountering the Crab from Behind the Wall.

And, seeing as it hadn't moved more than ten feet since he'd arrived here, it didn't seem to be going anywhere. Before he could head upwards, however, he needed to first finish clearing out this level. Which, at the moment, only seemed to be comprised of five crabs. Two medium-sized 'blips' with singular remaining lackeys, and one slightly-larger-than-medium sized one who was alone. And who also was only twenty or so feet down the hallway from his current location.

It had been the 'protector' of Bob's most recent victim. Though the word was used especially loosely in this case, since he was pretty certain it had eaten the other two which had attached themselves to it. A tendency which seemed to be working in Bob's favor, seeing as – likely sensing the fresh dose of crab-blood filling the water – it was already starting to move closer to his location. Letting out an inaudible sigh, Bob took his eye off his tarnished copper 'treasures' and made his way towards the door.

Situating himself right beyond its far edge before activating 'Lifeless Disguise'. And then, he waited. Crabs weren't exactly expeditious creatures. Even while after the scent of food, the chunky crustacean seemed to move at a maximum speed of 'mosey'. Taking almost five solid minutes before it finally peeked its beady eyes inside Bob's makeshift treasure-room. Though likely still in the bottom-half of 'E' rank, the intruder seemed almost half-again as large as similarly sized 'blips'.

Probably due to having chosen a defense-based evolution. At least if the thick, jagged spikes adorning its shell were anything to go by. Not that Bob imagined they'd be much help, as his tongue skillfully weaved its way between them. Making sure to avoid the crab's mouth this time as he bound it twice over. Before beginning to squeeze. It let out a great shriek, trying to quickly mobilize others in its defense. But, other than a short glance seeking out fast-moving anomalies, Bob ignored it.

Focusing instead on bringing the deformed lump of silver to rest on the crab's more delicate underside. The jutting edges of the mass of blackened metal quickly caused fracture points to erupt on the monster's carapace. Its telepathic screams becoming more intense as its body was slowly broken apart. Bob's coils vicing ever inward. In short order, the pressure simply proved too much. The large crustacean almost folding inwards as its undercarriage gave way.

Crab juices erupting around him as its insides popped like an overripe tomato. Ding! Constrict (F) Has leveled up! 8 – 9 Ding! You have destroyed a 'LV: 8 Armored Mad-Crab (E)' (7) Experience gained for Class: ' Treasure Hunter (B)' Congratulations!' Treasure Hunter (B)' is now level 3! Perception + 5 Dexterity + 4 Willpower + 3'Oh, yeah. That's the ticket.' Bob almost luxuriated in his victory. One which would have been laughably beyond him less than a week ago.

A quick mental scan showed that the local crabs had barely moved since the attack began. They usually spent the first few seconds after hearing an alarm call screaming and waving their claws through the water. Meaning that if Bob could manage to silence his victim quickly enough, not much would actually change. Something he was getting increasingly better at doing. He briefly cast his attention to the last remaining crabs on this level, before dismissing them.

Changing his mind on fully clearing out the floor before leaving. They were all the way across the building. Twice as far as to the stairway up. A stairway up which currently appeared undefended. No 'blips' within twenty to thirty feet of the landing. And more – potentially better – treasure littered about its drowned and empty rooms. Besides, it wasn't like they wouldn't be there for him on his way back.

Them, and however many of their brothers and sisters decided to join them; drawn by the massacre he intended to make of the upper stories.