“We finally found a crab,” I said. “Not alive, though.” It was a large dark reddish crab with golden markings on its claws. It was recently killed because its corpse was only beginning to disappear. My shield was smaller than its claws; it was probably bigger than me when it was still alive.

There were some objects near it that glowed a dim bluish hue.

“What are these? Items dropped by the crab?” I tried to pick them up and was able to, which was surprising. Normally, you couldn’t pick up the loot of monsters other people killed until after the corpse of the monster has disappeared. This system was in place so that players won’t steal the loot of others.

So why could I pick up this loot even if the dead monster still hasn’t disappeared? I shrugged. Oh well, free stuff.

We went down a larger tunnel. I squinted my eyes because there was no crystal light inside. “Damn. Balasi, let’s go back and take one of those dislodged crystals. Can’t see shit here.” Mardukryon eyes could see even with only a tiny bit of light, but our eyes were not that good to see if there was an absence of light. “Wait. On second thought, let’s continue.”

I cast my [Pyro Shell]. An orange light coated my shield. I held it high up to light our path. I’m a fucking genius. I was sure that in the future I would come across places where there was no light. Best to have my own light source.

As we walked down the tunnel, I noticed that there was something weird with it. The ceiling of the tunnel wasn’t really curved, nor was the floor even. Rather, it was jagged with lots of cracks and rocks jutting out. It was as if something forced its way through, or something thrashed around here.

“Balasi, how big are Wraithpedes?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen one myself.”

“Did the other Miners say how big it’s supposed to be?”

“They said that its mouth was large enough to swallow a Mardukryon whole.”

I whistled. “That is fucking big.” I kept quiet for a while as I observed the tunnel we were in. “Does this look like a tunnel dug by a Wraithpede?” But before Balasi answered, I said, “Wait a bit. Look, there are some exposed items stuck on the walls.”

It was another Minor Integral Bit, weaker than the normal Integral Bit, an example of which was the Chilled Steel I found earlier. I checked the time. 2 a.m. I have been playing straight for five hours since I took a break for dinner and paperwork. Add to that the several hours I was playing before that. I have been mostly playing this day. Tomorrow was the weekend anyway, so this was fine. I paused a bit to savor the feeling of staying up late to play games. Not a bad feeling at all.

During my entire time on the fourth level of the mines, I only found three Minor Integral Bits, including the one I just found, and one Integral Bit. Phew, that was a bad drop rate. I wanted to attach Integral Bits to all the new gear that I planned to buy from Sumuel. As I searched the internet, I found out that Integral Bits could also be crafted, but I wasn’t sure if Sumuel provides such services, so I might be stuck with self-found Integral Bits down the mines.

I shone my shield once again all over the tunnel. “Obviously, something dangerous came through here and I shouldn’t be here. But whatever that thing is, it has dug through the rocks to expose precious loot.” I trotted forward. I have four fucking legs to run with in case something big, bad, and ugly appeared.

And if I die, then tough luck. Death could wait, but loot couldn't; other people might take them.

I was right. On the loot part. There were many ores on the walls that nobody has yet extracted. I suspected that the number of people down the mines because of the event made ores and all that shit rarer. On the dangerous monster going through here hunch, my theory still wasn't confirmed and I hope it doesn't get confirmed.

Balasi and I also came upon a couple more dead crabs. We also found three half-eaten grublings. As in half of their bodies were simply bitten off by something. Thanks for the free loot, mysterious something. But, damn, that thing killed the grublings in out bite. Were they enemies?

“Hear that?” I said to Balasi. “Sounds like people shouting.” Then a screeching sound that sounded like a thousand fingernails scratched a chalkboard at the same time reverberated in the tunnel. I felt shivers just by hearing it. Sounds of metal hitting metal followed. A battle.

“A battle,” Balasi said.

“Yeah, that was what I fucking thought. But then again, you’re not psychic, so you don't know what I'm thinking.” I held up my finger as if I had an idea. "Or maybe, we're having the same thoughts because we're true bros?" I patted Balasi on the shoulder. There were some more shouting and sounds of rocks being smashed.

I considered if it was my best interest to join that battle or not. Another fucking screeching call. Like the sound of a fork scraping a plate fucked the sound of squeaking Styrofoam fucked the sound of a fingernail scratching a chalkboard. What an awful sound. Maybe Mardukryon ears were simply sensitive, but the sound made me want to grind my teeth to dust.

This creature must die!

“Let’s go, Balasi. Onward to battle, my four-footed friend,” I said with a laugh as I kickstarted and charged up and down the craggy terrain.

There was a light at the far end of the tunnel. No, we did not die, there’s an actual light at the end of the tunnel.

I rushed for the exit, closely followed by Balasi. We arrived in a very spacious cavern. There were several shiny objects all over the cavern. “Look at all the loot here,” I said. There was more loot than I have ever seen during my time down the mines. Shiny things everywhere, ripe for the picking.

Also, there was a gigantic monster in the cavern, several Mardukryon NPCs, a couple of whom looked grievously injured, and corpses of monsters all around the gigantic monster. I would have preferred to just focus on the loot rather than on the others inside the cavern.

And its name was written in an ornate gold font! That meant “strong fucker” in RPGs. It would signify that it was way stronger than other monsters of the same level. I assumed it was a mini-boss or something,

“Yeah, I’d prefer to just look at the loot.”

“Look, it’s a Wraithpede Larva,” Balasi exclaimed. He unslung his war hammer and gripped its handle tightly.

“Yes, Balasi. It’s kind of hard not to notice that thing.”

There was a tunnel behind the Wraithpede Larva. Something climbed out of it. It was a couple of grublings. Two chomps and the first one was dead. Just like that. The second one was trying to escape but the Larva caught it, shook it left and right like a rag doll and threw the body. The corpse of the grubling skidded across the floor and stopped in front of us. Cool, loot. I picked up the stuff the dead grubling dropped.

The Larva killed those two grublings effortlessly. It didn’t care if they were both monsters, or they were both part of the same event. Must be some inter-corporate dispute; they would have to hire a Wraithpede lawyer for that.

An ominous black shadow floated around the Larva, seeping through the cracks in its exoskeleton. The exoskeleton itself looked like smoke that solidified. It was hard to explain. The exoskeleton appeared solid but was shifting around. It was disconcerting to look at the Wraithpede as it moved since wisps of smoke would fleet around.

The Wraithpede Larva has half of its massive body on the ground. Its lower body was lined with large black legs that stabbed the hard earth of the cavern. The upper half of its body was reared up. Probably about twenty appendages lined both sides of its upper body, each limb ending in a wicked three part pincers, or whatever those were supposed to be called. It looked like the claws in the arcade claw machine.

I want to play an arcade claw machine. Were those machines still being made?

“Let us fight!” Balasi said.

“Sure. Let’s try to fight this thing. I can resurrect, you can’t. You might want to reconsider your choices in life. But if you really want to fight them, then let’s join up with the Miners.” I beckoned for him as I went towards the Miners. The Larva was fighting the Miners while keeping its back to the tunnel where the grublings came from like it was guarding it.

Maybe that was the entrance to the fifth level?

“There you are young warrior,” the Leader Miner said when we joined them. “The situation is dire and we need your help.”

I examined their levels. Leader guy is thirty-six, the others were twenty plus. To my surprise, there were two Hunter-Warriors with them, both level twenty-seven. All of them were NPCs. Wow, I’m going to be such a big help here. At least I’m not the lowest level. I turned to Balasi who was one level lower than me. Heh.

“I will help you,” I said firmly.

“I will help as well,” Balasi said.

“Duck,” the Leader cried out. "Everyone duck!"

I followed his order without thinking. Bending my knees, I quickly dropped to the ground. I also bent my upper body down, covering my head with my shield.

There was that dreadful screeching noise again as the Larva whipped its body above us, its pincers snapped menacingly. I rolled to one side to avoid a pincer. Just imagine how hard it was to roll on the floor with a centaur body. A pincer drove itself deep into the rock where I stood earlier. I tried to pick myself up but it was very dangerous to move when there were pincers flailing around. Pincers dug deep furrows through the rocks as if they were sand.

“Everyone who can attack, do it.” I looked up to see that it was a Hunter-Warrior who spoke. He was standing with his shield in front of him. The NPC drew in the air two signs which solidified and hovered about it. Another Hunter-Warrior was running towards the first one, weaving through the claws. "We will keep its attention on us. Attack."

Easier said than done with all the murderous pincers snapping everywhere.

"Acid!" someone shouted.

"Scatter, everyone."

"What the fuck is going on?" I said as I looked at the Larva. It reared back up to its full height, which was really just half its length. I finally saw what its face looked like. It had some sort of skeletal mask while black flames fanned behind it. It was a centipede Ghost Rider with black flames.

It parted its mandibles and rained acid upon us.

My first thought was Balasi. Very noble of me, I know. Just kidding. I just don't want my investment to die. And he was a very good company while traveling in the mines. I cast my shell. Splotches of acid dropped around me. I was hit by one of the drops of acid. "Holy shit," I said as I watched the life bar of my shell get decimated at twice the rate of the acid of the grubling.

I found Balasi. I grabbed his arm and pulled him along as I ran for the lower body of the Wraithpede. Acid continued raining all around us. Smoke rose from the ground where acid hit.

"Let's get close to the body so that we won't get hit by the acid," I said. I waved my spear at the other NPCs. "Attack the lower body! Don't wait for the upper body to go down to attack. Stick to the lower body to avoid the acid."

They picked up my call and chanted, "Stick to the lower body! Avoid the acid!"

"Uh, those thoughts aren't mutually exclusive," I said, fortunately, they followed me. I kickstarted and then charged, my spear held straight, aiming for the space between two plates on its exoskeleton. The blade of my spear hit its body and then glanced off. "Shit, you're fucking hard. Someday I'll be hard as you. Even harder." I held my [Urus Stance] and continuously stabbed it. "That statement was full of sexual innuendos. Do I get points for that? Is no one keeping score here?"

The others also attacked the body of the Larva. Balasi was also there, swinging his hammer, however, his stun skill doesn't affect the Larva.

I looked back to check what the other Mardukryons were doing. They were huddled with the Hunter-Warriors, keeping the upper body in check.

The Larva bent down again, going for the other group of Mardukryons. Black flames poured out of its mouth, covering the Mardukryons. The Hunter-Warriors were in front with their floating ice runes, protecting the others. The hacked at the face of the Larva as it went past them. The Larva curved right so that it could claw them.

"Scatter," the Hunter-Warrior ordered. All of them ran away to evade the pincers.

"Just keep attacking," I urged my group. My hits barely scratched the Larva. I think, Balasi hits harder than me with his big two-handed war hammer.

The legs of the Larva started to move. It was stabbing us who were near it. Our group had to move away from the rampaging legs. Then the body itself moved forward. It was moving away so that its upper body could bend down to reach us.

"Stick to the body," I said as I followed the scuttling Larva. I kept on spearing its sides, sometimes hitting the near metallic legs or its fucking concrete body. "Hey, someone who does more damage hit this thing."

Then a leg suddenly extended. I instinctively held my shield close to my body before the leg hit me. My shell instantly exploded. I bounced off some rocks and then rolled a bit. I couldn't move as a static sensation covered my body. It was that same feeling when your leg or arm fell asleep, but imagine your whole body fell asleep, plus there were some pricks of static shock all over. I had about twenty percent life left.

Warning:

Receiving a Brutal Strike (Damage more than 80% of your Maximum Health) will momentarily incapacitate you. Increase your Physical Resilience to reduce recovery time after receiving a Brutal Strike.

"What the fuck." I gritted my teeth as I tried to move my body. Balasi galloped towards me to watch over me. Ancestral Constitution was pushing my life up but not fast enough. I opened my inventory with a thought command. Shit, I gave my last health fruits to Little Pony in exchange for helping me with the garden. Fuck that guy in particular. I tried to move my head but can't. "Where did that Larva go?" I asked Balasi.

"It's over there," he replied. "The Hunter-Warriors are drawing it away."

"Good work NPCs," I said under my breath. Someday I would repay them by uniting our race and making them all strong as gods. They were right in investing their future in me and saving me at the risk of losing their own life.

Slowly, I regained control of my body.

"I have to take revenge on that insect," I said. I observed what the Hunter-Warriors were doing. The two of them stood close to each other and summoned new sigils, two each. Blue light shined on them, showered by the sigils. A blue film hung over the Mardukryons like a curtain. Then the bodies of the Hunter-Warriors glowed a fiery red, then they assumed a stance. The Miners stayed behind the Hunter-Warriors.

The Larva screeched as it rammed them with its head. There was the sound of breaking glass as the Larva penetrated the blue film, hitting the Hunter-Warriors. They held firm. Their bodies exploded, damaging the Larva. Then it dawned on me. That was some sort of full body Pyro Shell!

Frost began to coat the head of the Larva and its movements slowed down. One of the sigils was above the Larva, powdering its head with snow. The other Mardukryrons took the opportunity to attack the head.

I ran towards the Hunter-Warrior. I was sure that the move they did earlier was the Urus Stance. And with the Pyro Shell like skill, they were surely Urus Hunter-Warriors. The Larva shrieked in anger at being attacked. It pulled back its head and backed away. Smoke gushed out of its mandibles. It was about to use its flame attack.

"Balasi, hurry up!"

We got under the Hunter-Warriors protection just in time. The world blackened as the flames covered us, held back only by the forcefield generated by the sigils. These NPCs are so cool. Really competent. I remembered in that the AI companions in PC games would often do stupid things making them more of a liability than helpful.

Two new status icons appeared in my vision.

Urus Tau’gata Sigil II

Everyone under the effect of the Sigil will gain:

+300 Solar Spirit

+0.5% of Maximum Solar Spirit as Solar Spirit Regeneration Per Second

Urussugha Spirit Shield Sigil (Linked)

At the cost of 20% of your Solar Spirit, a forcefield will be generated covering an area. It will absorb damage equal to two times the Solar Spirit cost.

(Linked: If two or more Mardukryons cast the same Sigil in close proximity, the Solar Spirit cost of the Mardukryon with the higher pool will be used as base and multiplied by two times the number of Mardukryons casting the same Sigil)

"I'm so envious of these skills," I whined.

"Are you fine?" Hunter-Warrior One, AKA, Abdi said.

"Yes, I'm fine."

"Stay behind us. We will counterattack when the opportunity presents itself," Hunter-Warrior Two, AKA Illi, said. He then assumed an Urus Stance. Abdi followed suit.

The Larva bent down again to ram us with its head. I placed myself close to Abdi and used my own Urus Stance.

Urus Stance (Linked)

Bonuses received from two Mardukryons using Urus Stance near you:

+200 Armor

+200 Armor

+17.5% Change to block projectiles

"My God, our skills are bordering on cheating," I said. Maybe those who thought about making a guild full of Mardukryons were right.

The Larva hit the Spirit forcefield and broke it. It continued its path and hit the shield of Abdi and Illi. Sorry guys, I'm positioned a bit to the back. At least I was giving them an additional seventy-five armor with my own Urus Stance. Their own Stances might be fully leveled already.

Illi looked over his shoulder and said to me, "Don't worry. There are others coming to help us, but it will take them awhile."

Miner Leader grumbled, "We don't need them to kill this one."

“What? Other Hunter-Warriors are coming?” I said.

“Yes. Our fellows are gathering outside at the entrance of the fourth level. They are few in number because most of us are still with the Head Warrior outside the village," Illi said. "After hearing the news about the Wraithpedes, those of us who could come back immediately rushed here to the mines."

"There are young warriors ready to help us out. The other are rallying them before charging here and sweeping all these vermin away," Abdi added.

"I'm not really worried. It's just that I am weak. So...I'll hang around the back and be safe. Maybe kill some monsters that come out the fifth level. I don't want to retreat because I also want to help in this fight." I slowly backed away.

"Do that, young warrior. Marduk guides as all."

I instantly ran for the ore that was farthest away from the battle the moment Miner Leader said that. I mumbled to myself, "The Hunter-Warriors outside are gathering players. Damn, I can't let them have all of these items. I should get all of these before they come." Technically, I didn't really matter in this fight. The Hunter-Warriors are powerful enough to survive and keep the others safe, and they were numerous enough to slowly whittle down the Wraithpede Larva.

Rather than hanging around the fight while giving minimal contributions, I'd rather get these items to make myself stronger. This would have the biggest benefit to the Mardukryon race. The sooner I could get strong, the sooner I could save them. Obviously, I was going to be the one to save them and no one else.

Extract! Extract! Extract!

I kept on the mantra in my mind as I tuned out the sounds of fighting. I only had to watch out when the Larva was about to spit out acid. It was a good thing that the Mardukryrons shout "Acid" at the top of their lungs every time that happened so that I could prepare to evade.

More and more ores went into my inventory. I also found some other crafting items. If it was safe, I would pick up the item drops from the monster killed by the Larva. They were just lying on the cavern floor, anyway, so might as well. I wasn't going to leave anything for the other players. This was for their own good. They were involuntarily participating in my journey to ascending as the immortal god tank. Little by little, people would contribute to my cause, whether they like it or not. I was making the choice for them.

Because I'm Herald Stone, Immortal God Tank in the making.

The sound of thunderous hooves came from the tunnel Balasi and I earlier went through. “Looks like the cavalry has arrived,” I said as I proceeded to extract another ore. “Although, if we’re going to get technical about it, we’re all cavalry.”

A humungous Mardukryon, second only in size to the Elder, came charging in the cavern. Everyone watched transfixed at the new arrival, even the Wraithpede Larva turned its attention to him.

Fully pimped out in golden armor, the new Mardukryon strode proudly into the battle.

With his right hand, he held a spear twice his height. The pole of the spear was full of glowing inscriptions. Its blade shone with such brightness that it was as if it was daytime inside the cavern. His left hand gripped a sword that was made of old cracked stone. It looked like an ancient artifact and had blue gems all along its length. I couldn't see his face because a metallic mask depicting an angry demon covered it.

Never in my life had I wished that I had popcorn so that I could sit back and relax while the Head Warrior chopped the Wraithpede Larva into sushi.