Chương 28: Chapter Twenty Seven

Having sensed no enemies in the tower, Bob had initially been tempted to simply jump down its hollow center, but held himself back. The fall would be slow and uncontrolled. His new body offering much more in the way of surface area than the last one. As well as being, as proven in his previous fight, prone to tumbling when traveling through the water. Besides, even if all those things weren't true, he'd still probably be faster while stably on the ground.

His Dexterity of forty-two and the passive ability 'Surefooted' ensuring that. As he raced down the tower stairs – mind still tracking the location of the rampaging intruder – Bob couldn't help but marvel at his glue-like adhesion to each passing step. His thousand feet seeming to cling to every edge and angle as they moved. Even the mounting pressure of the water unable to slow his passage. A slight wake forming behind him. And that speed was going to prove useful.

Given that, as he reached the bottom of the stairway, he noticed the intruder's actions had finally seemed to rile up some of the heavier hitters within the building. The largest of the crabs still apparently content to linger in whatever areas they had claimed as home – the Crab Behind the Wall not even bothering to twitch – but a greater portion of their 'medium' compatriots beginning to converge on the aggressor's location. Which left the area around Bob entirely clear of anything resembling a real threat.

He burst into the hall where his last battle had occurred without wasting a moment to check it; his trust and ability in his Class Skill having grown tremendously over the past few days. And, at least for now, that trust was proven worthwhile. The empty hallway quickly passing him by as he rushed towards the T-section and made an immediate right. The walls which surrounded him as he made his way to the probable location of a stairway felt eerie and claustrophobic.

The barren, windowless stone and ever-increasing sand coating the floor making them feel less like hallways and more like channels carved through some ancient sunken mountain. That and, perhaps more importantly, like a death trap to be cornered in should Bob's theory of upwards passage be proven false. Elsewhere, he could feel that the conflict between the intruder and the local crabs seemed to be heating up.

A lesser presence the aggressive 'blip' had been chasing suddenly disappearing while in direct contact with it. It was a victory that was likely to prove pyrrhic for the rogue monster however. What with multiple larger 'auras' having used the time to surround its location. The realization that his distraction was likely nearing its end caused Bob's anxiety to begin to spike. Something which made the relief he felt as he turned the corner to see a flight of immaculate stone steps heading upwards nearly palpable.

Unfortunately, that relief quickly disappeared when Bob realized that, while distracted by searching the first and second story for threats, he may have neglected any observation of the actual stairway itself. It was tiny. Its aura an unnoticed pinprick on his 'map' of the building. Its physical presence not being much bigger. Bob feeling uncertain if it would even be within the legal fishing limits, back on earth.

This, unfortunately, didn't stop the hand-sized crab on the stairs from reacting just like all its siblings had upon spotting Bob's handsomely varnished form.

'Kill! Rend!' If on a slightly diminished level. Still, diminished or not, the message seemed to have been successfully transmitted to its brothers in arms.

'Kill!'

'Tear!'

'Rend!' Bob didn't allow the mental cacophony to stun him like it had before, however. Now understanding that the quickest – and perhaps only – way to get the noise to stop was to erase all physical witnesses to his presence. Which, at the moment, was a singular, unimpressive, crablet. Bob's speed allowed him to traverse the distance of the room in less than two seconds. Mind ignoring the mass of 'threats' heading towards his position while he instead focused on ending their reason for doing so.

The miniscule crustacean seemed almost shocked as Bob barreled towards it. It's tiny claws still held above its head in some sort of sad attempt at intimidation. It wasn't allowed the time to lower them. Ding! You have destroyed a 'LV: 1 Lesser Mad-Crab (F)' (1) Experience gained for Class: ' Treasure Hunter (B)' Bob ignored the window. As well as the explosion of viscera. Absentmindedly closing it as he retracted his tongue and shot up the stairs.

Using his Class skill to search the floor above after reassuring himself that the local 'blips' had stopped in their assumed mad-dash towards his location. Unfortunately, not getting past step one. Bob's many feet stuttered slightly as he realized that, while most of the surrounding monsters appeared much like they did after he'd killed the crab in the hallway – seeming to pause briefly as if confused before going about their business – there were three notable exceptions to that rule.

The alarm cries from the crab he'd crushed had apparently drastically altered the situation with the building's intruder. One of the larger 'blips' that had been surrounding it now gone; with the other two in obvious pursuit as it charged down the hall away from them. And directly towards Bob's position. Bob felt himself come to a full stop – briefly stunned – before then redoubling his sprint up the stairs.

A portion of his mind making sure that the remainder of his path to the room was crab-less while the rest of him panicked. Desperately hoping that its choice in direction was coincidental. Stolen story; please report. Something which seemed more and more unlikely as the intruder continued to choose the path leading towards him, quickly beginning to outpace its pursuers.

The landing just off the stairway was thankfully empty, Bob quickly moving past it before turning left and rushing towards the room containing a flicker of sunshine. He was hoping that the rogue crustacean would lose track of him on the stairs. But if not, having a new trait by the time it reached him would certainly be better than the alternative. In a reverse to the first floor's almost public seeming area, with its large halls and winding corridors, the second story felt far more residential.

A doorway appearing every twenty to thirty feet along the wall to reveal a moderately sized room behind it. All of which he was more than content to ignore. He was already nearing his target by the time he 'felt' the intruder reach the hall leading to the stairway. Something he felt some degree of hope bloom in him over. Thinking he'd likely be able to gain a new Trait and be hiding in the room's corner before it even reached the second story. That is, before his luck reasserted itself.

And he was once again reminded that he wasn't allowed nice things. At least, not without a cost. As he'd gotten closer, it became obvious that the massive aura radiating from the giant crab below was indeed hiding a glowing treasure. Its light seeming to grow stronger with his every step. Unfortunately, he hadn't taken into account that if it could do that, it could likely hide something else. His eye barely spotted it just as he was nearing the doorway.

A flash of purple-grey alerting him that this room wasn't quite as empty as the other's he'd left behind him. And then the screaming started.

'Kill! Rip!' As the calls echoed through his mind, Bob felt as though he was locked in a frozen moment. Entirely uncertain of what to do. With its battle-cry made, his pursuer now again knew his location. Something which, if recent events held true, even its death wouldn't change. Which, of course, was even assuming he could kill it quickly in the first place. The crab in question being far larger than the small-fry he'd recently crushed.

Probably coming in at just a little smaller than the beast he'd faced off with on the rooftop. Not a fight he was overly concerned about losing, but also not one he could finish in a matter of seconds. He briefly considered just running on. Leaving the screaming crustacean behind as a potential distraction and searching for someplace to hide himself further along the hall. Or even up another story, if possible. He knew he could at least outpace the crab, after all.

Even if he wasn't quite so sure about the far-too-quick seeming intruder. These thoughts were thrown out when, after taking a few more steps forward, Bob's eye managed to spot what 'Treasure Sense' already assured him was present. A blackened bit of something that had been cast into one of the room's corners who-knows-how long ago. A bit of something that the mimic part of him desired more than anything in the world. In an instant, the choice was made.

Bob finding himself moving without being fully conscious of giving the order. Oddly enough though, he didn't feel that upset about it. Neither choice was great, honestly. And it was better to get to one or the other quick, rather than simply stand there in the hallway. And of the two, this one actually held the chance of bettering his situation, rather than just surviving it. He was within striking distance far faster than his opponent was prepared for.

The crab obviously not expecting a box to be capable of traveling, on average, three times faster than it and its equally-sized comrades. Bob actually slowed himself down slightly at the end of his approach, waiting for it to throw out one of its pinchers before quickly side-stepping to circle around towards its back. Whereupon he shot out his tongue directly underneath it. The cordage almost seeming to ricochet as it hit the ground in front of the crab before flying back across.

Bob managing to wrap himself twice around the whole of its body before it could react. Unfortunately, when it did so, it was by preventing him from managing the third loop; snatching up the end-length of Bob's tongue in both of its jagged claws. And very quickly beginning to clamp down. Alert! - 4 Health!

'Oh, you motherfu-' Bob cut himself off as he focused on returning the favor. The thick rope that was his only appendage quickly growing taut as he began to crush his opponent's carapace. Trying to ignore the feeling of the tip of his tongue slowly being chopped off during the process. He could already feel the crab's exoskeleton beginning to flex and bend after only the first use of his 'Constrict' skill.

The monster's claws releasing their hold on him as the sudden pressure differential made its limbs pop apart like a stress doll. Something which would have felt far more like a success, were it not immediately followed by razor-sharp mandibles beginning to cut through the underside of his already damaged extremity. To some fairly surprising success. Alert! - 6 Health! He could feel his tensed tongue begin to come apart.

Individual bits of cordage starting to snap and pop like an overstrained mooring cable as the crab's glistening mouthparts continued to slice into them. The power his skill allowed him to confer to his limb acting as a double-edged sword; assisting the crab in its attempt to destroy his only weapon. This, Bob decided, was simply too much. While strength might not be the highest of his attributes, the amount he had available to him was more than enough to pick the now fully entangled crab up off its many feet.

After which, 'Surefooted' allowed him all the traction he needed to build up quite a bit of pace heading out the room's door. Which meant he and Mr. Snippy hit the wall directly across from it at a fairly impressive clip. The impact was devastating. The already 'under pressure' contents of the crab's torso exploding upon contact with the unyielding stone. Bob's coils going loose as fragments of shell filled the corridor. Ding! Constrict (F) Has leveled up! 6 – 7 Ding!

You have destroyed a 'LV: 5 Mad Clipper Crab (E)' (7) Experience gained for Class: ' Treasure Hunter (B)' Bob felt slightly dismayed by the damage done to two parts of his tongue, but still allowed a small moment to grin to himself. Both over his speedy victory and the level up for his new favorite skill. Before he was distracted by something happening further down the long hallway. Given his focus on the fight, Bob hadn't been able to keep much of his attention on 'Treasure Sense'.

He'd been hoping that if he finished things quickly enough, he'd be able to grab whatever it was in the corner of the room and take off again without too much having changed. That, obviously, hadn't worked out quite so well as he would have liked. As he turned his gaze to the side, Bob realized that a massive crab had just rounded the corner. One easily within the size range of his largest foe to date. If not a few inches bigger around.

And, unfortunately, one he had no confidence in being able to kill in anything approaching a reasonable span of time. Though, he would admit that he gave himself slightly better odds when he noticed it was missing one of its arms. And, now that he was looking, also a couple of legs. Bob's mind was just starting to put the pieces together when a black mass slammed into what was left of the crustacean.

Wrapping itself around the once formidable looking monster before, with an ease that left Bob equally jealous and horrified, beginning to tear off its few remaining limbs. As the massive octopus neared being finished with its current task – the crab starting to resemble a spiny hockey puck – Bob finally popped out of the stupor the devastating attack had struck him into. A small voice in his head asking why he'd assumed giant crabs would be the only monsters living at the bottom of this horrifying little valley.