Chương 407: Chapter 396 - The Wild Spawn

Ayu leaned back as the giant rock arm shattered the ground where she had stood, solid shards blasting outward across the wide natural corridor. She backflipped twice as thorned vines lashed toward her one after another from the Drudges behind. The tips carved lines through the air where her torso had been a heartbeat earlier. When the giant of stone and thorns, the Gravebloom Sentinel, stepped forward again, Imani was already there to intercept it. His stance settled. The Sentinel's arm crashed down against him.

The impact drove his boots through the damp soil, carving two deep lines as his biocapacitors flared and began to charge. From behind, two thralls burst into the corridor, flanking him from both sides. Before they could strike, metal vines shot forward and pierced clean through their skulls, pinning them mid-motion and dropping them instantly. A moment later, Imani released the stored force. He drove his shield forward in a tight, brutal swing.

The blast broke the Sentinel's balance, forcing the three-metre giant to stagger back a full step, stone plates cracking along its torso. Ayu was already moving. She closed the distance in a blink, pivoted on her lead foot, and drove her knee straight toward its rock face. The creature reacted fast. Vines surged across its head, thickening into a reinforced mask. She drove through anyway, her Will flaring at the moment of impact. BOOM!

Rock fragments exploded outward from the impact, shards spiralling through the corridor as a compressed shockwave rattled the walls and sent loose soil raining from above. The Sentinel's upper body fractured. Cracks raced through its stone plating before the entire structure collapsed inward, disintegrating into crumbling bark and broken vine that rapidly dried and fell apart. Ayu landed lightly and rolled her knee. She glanced down at the faint bruise forming beneath the skin.

"That bastard's tough, alright."

"We can use that," Pablo said with a smile from behind. He dismissed his current summon and used the orb from the fallen Gravebloom Sentinel to conjure a new one under his command. He felt slight resistance as the creature approached his limit, but nothing he could not manage. He quickly assessed its anatomy and functionality, transmitting weaknesses to the rest, such as the structural failure points behind the knees and the way the dark red sap surged just before the thorns shifted.

Pablo took a moment to adjust the arms and legs of the golem, refining the vines around it as he grew accustomed to its new structure. Then the double helix materialised behind him. Will Manifest: Unlimited Mutations He brought forward the orb from a Gallows Thrall and shattered it as he grafted the trait of agility onto the Sentinel. Then he sacrificed one from a Steel Hollow to give its body a metallic coating. A sharp pain spiked through his head.

Blood dripped from his nose from the strain, but he brushed it off and ignored it.

"Alright, let's keep going," he said calmly. The others watched him for a moment before nodding and pushing forward. The second wave arrived around the next corner with more Drudges and another Sentinel. Pablo's mutated Sentinel rushed forward with surprising speed. Its reinforced frame and gathered momentum turned a single uppercut into a devastating strike that shattered the rock face of the enemy Sentinel, crushing vines and stone beneath it.

The Drudges tried to ensnare it with roots, but the golem tore through them with brute force and crushed them under its heavy feet. Thralls leapt onto its back, clawing and kicking, but Pablo's Sentinel endured the blows. It drove an elbow backward, disintegrating one into fragments of rotten vine and bark, grabbed another and slammed it into its reinforced metal knee, breaking it apart. As for the remaining creatures that slipped past its flanks, they were met by Imani's hammer.

Within moments, the second wave was over.

"Your ability has a lot of potential," Leonie said as she assessed the summon before her.

"Is there a limit to the amount and type of mutations you can graft?"

"Yes," Pablo admitted.

"First, I have to be able to mentally visualise the concept and achieve equilibrium under it, so the types have to match in some way. Second, mutations count toward my summon limit. That means I can either have three summons or one with two mutations at a time. The limit is determined by how many parts I can split my mind into using Chorus of Thoughts.

"Third, I cannot control summons that exceed a power threshold based on my own mental strength, which depends on my Pillar and Stage Progress. And lastly, I cannot generate summons from red orbs." She nodded.

"In that case, it would be good if you store orbs from as many different types of creatures as you can and keep them with you at all times. Using the appropriate mutations against the right foe could be a key asset in changing the board." She turned her gaze toward him.

"I will have the rest of the Climbers help you with that and make sure we research dungeons to identify possible unique traits." Pablo gave a single nod. It was a solid plan, not far from what he had already considered. They resumed their march. Wave after wave of enemies poured through the maze corridors. Alonso remained at the rear, calm, watching the way Pablo's golem used its sheer size and raw power to bulldoze through the opposition, leaving scraps for Imani and Ayu to clean up. He agreed with Leonie.

Despite its limitations, the skill was a major asset to the team. Pablo could effectively create a tailored counter to whatever they faced, or, as he was doing now, turn an empowered version of the Dungeon's own creatures against it. It almost felt unfair. That Sentinel alone had a Power Index of 6300, which was no small number. With both mutations layered on top, Alonso estimated it now stood somewhere between 8000 and 9000. That was nearly boss level. More importantly, it functioned as a mobile fortress.

It absorbed punishment, easing the burden on Imani, and its sheer mass reshaped the battlefield wherever it moved. Still… beyond the numbers and tactics, there was something else. It was just awesome. Pablo was literally commanding a three-metre metal-plated golem and smashing through waves of horror-like creatures with single blows. For a brief moment, Alonso felt a flicker of envy, the kind that came with watching a friend unlock something absurdly cool. He smirked.

More than anything, he was glad for him, grateful they now had an overpowered summoner on the team while he could hang back, conserve energy, and watch splintered vines and rotten flesh scatter in its wake. As they advanced, they noticed that the Sentinels very rarely dropped Grade 3 gear. It was a welcome surprise that allowed a few quick improvements among the group. Alonso passed. Grade 3 was barely an improvement over his fully tempered Grade 2.

The waves gradually intensified, sometimes two or even three Sentinels emerging at once and forcing the vine-walled corridors to groan under their combined weight, yet the qualitative difference remained evident. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Pablo's mutated construct consistently overpowered them, breaking their formations before they could stabilise, its reinforced limbs tearing through bark and stone with methodical brutality.

In that steady rhythm, they reached the next opening in the maze. The passage widened abruptly into a vast clearing that dwarfed the previous arena, its boundaries swallowed in a heavy fog that dampened both vision and EM perception beyond the first stretch of ground. What lay ahead resembled a forest. Massive dark pillars rose high toward an unseen ceiling, each thicker than five metres in diameter, their surfaces rough and ridged.

The soil beneath their boots was darker here and more compact, thick roots spreading across it in tangled networks, some arching upward from the ground like petrified serpents while others twisted outward in shapes that felt disturbingly deliberate, almost grasping. The atmosphere carried a quiet pressure that settled behind the eyes and beneath the skin, the kind of sensation that did not announce danger loudly but insisted on it all the same.

As they stepped fully across the threshold, the path behind them sealed with a grinding shift of vines and earth, and the fog ahead began to withdraw, pulling back in measured layers as if unveiling a stage. At the centre of the clearing stood a figure that made the surrounding pillars seem almost benign. It towered at nearly three metres, yet its thinness was what unsettled the most, its torso curved forward in a pronounced arc so that its ribs protruded sharply beneath stretched, bark-like flesh.

Its limbs were unnaturally long, reaching almost to the ground, and in each hand it held a tomahawk carved from dark wood and jagged stone. Its knees bent forward in an animalistic angle, granting it a crouched, predatory posture even while standing still. Where a face should have been there was only a stag skull, its antlers branching outward in uneven, gnarled arcs. The eye sockets were hollow, depthless voids that nonetheless seemed to focus with intent.

Its jaw hung partially open, and a thick strand of dark saliva dripped from its exposed sharp teeth, striking the soil with a soft hiss before seeping into the ground. It did not breathe, yet the forest around it seemed to. The fog moved in slow currents around its frame, roots tightening and loosening, and somewhere within the haze there was the faint impression of distant movement, as if unseen shapes circled beyond the edge of perception. The creature did not charge, nor did it make a sound.

It simply stood there, curved and waiting, as though the clearing itself had formed around it for a single purpose. Alonso's gaze narrowed. The Wild Spawn of the Black Forest Power Index: 15, 400 This creature… was really strong. Arguably stronger than Houston's projected value for himself. He understood well what such a number meant. The Spawn could face two or even three Oath-Torn Knights at once and still emerge victorious with ease.

He had not expected such disparity between bosses, especially not before the final stage. If Imani and Pablo's summon faced this alone, forget tempering, they would not last a couple of exchanges. Before he could speak and warn them, however, Leonie stepped forward." As stated in the database, while the first boss of a mid-tier Dungeon can be defeated by a group of early-stage Silver ranks, the second requires a fully coordinated high-stage team," she transmitted through a pulse."

That alone tells us this is a threat we have to take seriously." She inhaled once." I will take command. Everyone except Alonso, be ready to engage as instructed. Lukas, keep everyone involved in the fight boosted at all times." They all nodded as a network channel linked them instantly. Imani advanced first, shield raised and stance rooted. He felt Lukas' connection settle over him, reinforcing his physical aptitude by nearly 30%.

Ahead of him, Pablo's metal-coated Sentinel accelerated, heavy feet cracking the soil as it charged to collide head-on. Yet— It never connected. The Wild Spawn vanished. An instant later it reappeared at Imani's flank, one tomahawk already descending in a tight arc. Imani reacted fast. His shield snapped into place as his Will flared. Will Manifest: Guardian Star A burning gravity well radiated outward, pressing against the forest itself. Roots strained. Fog recoiled. The tomahawk struck.

The force drove through the shield into Imani's bones. Before the recoil settled, the creature twisted unnaturally, its spine bending further into that curved C-shape as it pivoted mid-strike and lashed out with its leg. The limb moved like a supersonic whip. BOOM! The impact folded Imani's stance and sent him skidding sideways, boots carving deep trenches through the soil. His armour buckled inward at the ribs. Blood rose in his throat before he forced it back down.

The Spawn followed instantly, its reach absurd, one step covering half the clearing. Drums answered. Will Manifest: A Song of Fire Ayu's rhythm surged into the space, breaking the oppressive silence like a challenge. She appeared at its blind side, heel driving toward its shoulder with explosive timing. The creature leaned back so far its spine seemed ready to snap, hollow skull tilting just out of range. At the same time, its other tomahawk rose in a slicing counter.

Ayu twisted mid-air, toes pressing briefly against its barked shoulder to redirect her trajectory before the blade could cleave through her. She flipped away, landing light, already stepping back in. She increased the tempo. Left feint. Right knee. Spinning elbow. Each strike met nothing but air. The Wild Spawn's limbs flowed around her attacks with impossible reaction speed, its huge reach forcing her to reset every time she tried to close distance.

Its tomahawks flicked, snapped, cut through arcs far longer than her range allowed. Imani roared and surged back in, Guardian Star intensifying as the gravity pull thickened around him. He swung his hammer in a wide, desperate arc, trying to reclaim space and force the creature to commit. The Spawn bent backward just enough for the strike to skim past its ribbed torso, then pushed off the ground with its elongated legs and cleared the range entirely in a single, fluid motion.

Before it could exploit the opening, however, Pablo's mutated Sentinel charged from behind, metal arms snapping forward as it attempted to seize the creature's flank. The Wild Spawn seemed to ignore it. For a heartbeat, it allowed the construct to close in. Then its focus shifted. Its frame moved within a fraction of a millisecond with terrifying precision, and a moment later both tomahawks flashed downward in twin, perfectly timed arcs. CRACK! CRACK!

The blades carved through the back of the Sentinel's knees, leaving only afterimages in their wake. Metal plating split. Vine joints ruptured. The massive construct collapsed forward as its balance failed, crashing into the soil and tearing a trench through the clearing. Pablo staggered as feedback lanced through his mind. Yet even before the construct fully hit the ground, the Spawn was already on Imani. Another strike came. Imani met it head-on. The impact drove him to one knee.

Blood spilled from his mouth, dark against the soil. Guardian Star burned bright, yet the pressure barely slowed the creature's motion. Ayu darted in again, her rhythm quickening as her tempo climbed. She tried to slip inside the creature's reach and force it into a committed exchange, coordinating her timing with Imani's pull. It did not work. Every time she closed the distance, a tomahawk snapped down and drove her back.

Every time she leapt, a long leg or the haft of a weapon cut across her line, forcing her to twist away mid-air. The forest trembled with each clash, roots snapping under stray impacts and massive pillars shedding bark and dust as shockwaves rolled through the clearing. Alonso watched it all unfold, his eyes narrowing further. Out of the corner of his vision, he noticed Pablo swaying slightly, blood running down from his nose, his breathing uneven.

Yet his manifestation flared again in the fog as the golem vanished and he conjured something different. This time the base was a Drudge. Vine control layered over it. Then something else, a viscous, adhesive property Alonso did not recognise. Pablo had shifted its role from tank to control. The mutated Drudge slammed its hands into the soil, and thick, slimy vines erupted from the undergrowth, spreading low and fast across the clearing, coiling around roots and debris to obstruct the Spawn's momentum.

The coordination was sharp. Imani intensified his pull. Ayu adjusted her timing. For a heartbeat, it looked like they had it. And yet— BAM! Another elongated leg whipped sideways and smashed into Imani's flank. Plates of his armour cracked under the impact, the force driving him back several steps as blood splattered onto the dark soil. The Spawn overextended slightly. Ayu saw it.

She lunged in, heel and elbow aligned to strike the exposed rib line while Pablo's control vines thickened around the creature's planted foot, anchoring it to the ground. The Wild Spawn leaned back again, its thin torso bending almost unnaturally as its range expanded beyond hers, one tomahawk already descending in a killing arc. Then— Thrshh! The Spawn's shoulder vanished.

Its entire arm tore free from its body as a perfectly spherical hole punched straight through bark, vine and bone, severing the limb in an instant. BOOM! The thunderclap followed a heartbeat later as the far trunk of one of the massive pillars exploded, revealing the same circular void punched clean through its centre before the energy dispersed into nothingness. The severed arm hit the ground and dissolved into leaking sap. Chiara stood calmly at the edge of the clearing.

Her coat fluttered behind her, cane still raised in the direction of the shot as spectral symbols and numbers locked into place around her, the air itself bending to their order.