#### Author's Note ####
And that's it! Now we are following the schedule for releases. Chapters go live every Tue, Thu, and Sat at 10:08 AM GMT-3
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A giant fucking crab. That's what was scaring everything away. And honestly, I couldn't really blame any of the animals that didn't want to be around. Crabs already were weird looking, but at this size, they became truly horrifying.
Not to mention, I remember Pops talking about how things kept evolving into crabs. Which didn't really make sense to me. But it could explain why there was nothing nearby. Maybe the System decided to say to all its particles 'hey stay away, otherwise you're going to become a crab.' Either way, that wasn't something I could think about right now.
The Matriarch was running together with the two village elders, the head fisher and the foreman of the building crew. While Astrid and Michael were just watching Emperor Flathead approach and Pamela was passed out on the table. But their reaction didn't really make sense to me. Amelia was the one who called the monster here. She was the one who used the whistle that lured this monster towards us. Wouldn't it chase after her?
That's when a gust of wind came from Michael's direction. There was a unique smell coming from the Hawaiian man, one that I didn't realize before. I couldn't be sure of this, but it seemed like the dress that they were wearing was made out of some sort of material that, when wet, would function as a lure for this gigantic crab. Which meant that the monster would follow Michael no matter where he went. It was even worse for Pamela, as she was currently unconscious. Then again, all of that was just an assumption. But I couldn't think of any other reason why the Matriarch was so confident she could just run away from it after calling the monster and why there was this strange fishy smell coming from Michael.
That was all the time I had to think about what was going on. The monster got too close and if I waited any longer, then it was likely that I would be part of the menu. I groaned and dashed for the creature, triggering {Compression}. I had grabbed a rock and threw it at the monster, letting my skill increase its size at the very last moment. It worked, and the pebble became a boulder even if its weight wouldn't have changed. The sudden appearance of a projectile like that could be enough to distract the creature.
The boulder hit the monster, causing it to turn around and face me. I could see two long eyes shining in the moonlight along with its deep blue carapace covered in barnacles. And the lower half of its body being illuminated by the light of the lamps, they brought a softer beige color revealing the less armored parts of its body. But that second part wasn't really something I wanted to see. Especially when the monster opened its mouth, revealing a strange-looking maw that reminded me of an Eater.
"Shit," I yelled while jumping to the side just as one of its legs slammed the location where I was just standing. The crater that was left behind was very familiar, but I didn't have a chance to think about it now. The monster swiped at me again and I jumped to the side, narrowly evading another of its legs. Now I was really missing the cloak made with the Ice Devil fur, but I wasn't even sure if that kind of armor would be enough to stop this.
I saw Michael rushing towards Pamela and picking her up before he looked back at the monster, who was chasing me.
"Take her out of here," I yelled. Not because I was confident I could handle the creature on my own, but because if I had to fight while protecting someone, I was sure that things would go south.
On the opposite end of the creature, near the table filled with food, I saw Astrid swinging her hands as if she was holding something, but I couldn't see any weapon. Yet the particles that were created every time she used one of her abilities were covering her arm and the moment something slammed on the crab's back leg, a layer of ice covered the creature, causing it to roar in pain.
The monster swiped with its claw back, trying to hit Astrid, but the Frosted Lumberjack was already running towards me.
"How can you use a skill without your axe?" I yelled in anger. Remembering that her class was supposed to be weaker if she wasn't holding the Frosted Axe.
But she just smiled and said, "Not this one." She swung again this time I could see the weapon she was using. If it could be called that. It was a butter knife. Not even that, it was just a lump of metal in the shape of a knife, but despite my annoyance, I had to admit. It was an effective strategy. The attacks were dealing some damage, much more than I could hope to deal with my compressed branch.
Suddenly, another gust of wind hit us, bringing more of that strange smell. And this time it was compounded since Michael was carrying the unconscious body of Pamela. The monster shivered and its eyes moved to the side, tracking the two of them who were now heading towards the tent. Looking at it, the material covering the tent also seemed a lot like the same material in the weeding dresses.
The monster tried to attack again, this time aiming at Michael. At the same time, Astrid sent out another {Frost Chop} hoping to catch the monster's attention once more, but even the attack wasn't enough to pull the beast away from its target.
"Don't go there," I yelled. Praying it would be enough of a warning to gain some time, but my voice was not loud enough to reach the Hawaiian. Michael continued rushing towards the tent and placed Pamela inside before walking back while holding something. But the moment he stepped outside of the tent, Michael realized the creature was already towering over him, raising its arm as if it was about to strike.
Without any other ideas, I activated {Mind of Possibility}. I needed time to find a solution in order to save the man in those precious few moments we had. I tried throwing the branch, but the creature squashed Michael before the projectile even arrived. Blood and flesh splattering all over the white tent. Yelling again, louder and with different words, also didn't work. No matter what I did, the creature just continued to focus on Michael. I tried {Firestarter}, and it also resulted in nothing. Stepping in different directions, they didn't make any difference. All options ended up with the same results.
I was about to give up and accept that we couldn't save him when something else popped into my mind. I tested it and it worked, but {Mind of Possibility} was about to run out. And this new chance, this new option, would make sure no one died now, even if it was extremely stupid of me. Especially considering what happened after it. But I couldn't see any other result where Michael lived, so picking the choice, I took a deep breath and yelled like a rooster praising the sun in the morning. My voice echoed and carried, and the monster stopped. Freezing for a second before snapping its body back towards me.
There was nothing that could prove this and, as a matter of fact, I wasn't even sure if this creature was capable of feeling anything else aside from hunger. But the way those giant elongated black eyes stared at me, I could only think they were full of hatred as the Giant Crab moved in my direction and rushed as fast as it could.
"Fuck," I yelled and started running away. Astrid seemed to understand what was going on or at least understood that staying wasn't a good idea and took a step away from the creature, dodging its legs as it passed by her. While me, I had to continue running into the forest. And to add to my stupidity, every time the monster seemed to be giving up and going back after Michael and Pamela, I decided to cockadoodle do again. Making it get even angrier while chasing after me.
At least the tree line was giving me some semblance of protection. It was clear the monster struggled to pass. Even if it could break down the larger trees and step over the smaller ones. For some reason it didn't want to. But that didn't solve the problem. I was stalling. Eventually, the creature would either decide to focus on me or Michael, or Pamela. And there was nothing to do to change that. I had serious doubts that a monster this big would give up a prey. And without any decent weapons, I didn't know how to kill it. Maybe using compression on a rock? Or on its shell. But those were all far-fetched ideas.
I didn't have many options. At least my companion didn't abandon me.
"Cassandra!" I heard Astrid's yell echoing through the woods. It was the first time I heard her do something like that and I assumed she was asking me to go after the voice. Which is exactly what I did. Even if that meant I had to jump under the crab to get out on the other side. I tried thinking of some way where I could even go around it, but the range of the pincers was too wide. If I went under the monster, I would be able to hide myself from the creature for a moment.
I waited for one of its swipes before dashing backwards, trying to reach Astrid. It was a close call, but the large creature was too slow to get me with its legs. Not to mention it was too big to know exactly where I was. And its eyes didn't seem to be the type that could twist under its body. Once I passed the monster completely, I just sprinted as fast as I could to reach companion.
The Frosted Lumberjack was holding something in her hand. A large barrel that seemed to be dripping with a liquid.
"Please tell me that you have an idea," I said.
"Michael does."
"Okay then, what do I need to do?"
"Wait."
"What do you mean, wait?" She didn't say anything else. She just kept staring at the Giant Crab that approached. I wasn't entirely sure if I wanted to know the plan or not, but if she wasn't going to run, neither was I.
Each step caused the ground to rumble. Each movement of its legs left another crater on the ground and each second that went by, that giant creature was getting closer and closer and closer. But Astrid was resolute. She wasn't going to lose this game of chicken. If that was what she was doing.
It didn't take long for Emperor Flathead to get close enough to Astrid so that she could continue this plan that I didn't know anything about.
"Cass, come here," Michael shouted. I looked back and saw him on top of a large rock, aiming a bow and arrow at the creature. "Come here. Quickly."
"Go," Astrid added, with some worry in her voice. I still wasn't sure what was going on, but they seemed to have something in mind. So I just rushed towards Michael, following their orders.
Before I reached the man, I saw him firing an arrow. An arrow that was aimed at the barrel that Astrid just tossed. The barrel was flying above the creature but, thanks to the arrow, it shifted forward and smashed on top of its carapace. Liquid spilling out making the entire surface a bit more reflective. A moment later, I reached Michael and Astrid was running away from the Giant Crab.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"Can you make fire?" Michael asked. "Astrid said you had fire."
"Yeah I can, why?" I frowned.
"Here," he pulled up an arrow with a rag soaked in something tied to the tip, "Light this up!"
"What?"
"We don't have time, just do it," Michael pressed, and I gave up trying to understand. Just accepting whatever plan they were cooking up.
I ignited the arrow and watched him fire the projectile, hitting the top of the monster's face. It was a pitiful attempt at doing any damage. That half-baked arrow wouldn't do anything against the shell of the crab. But the flame was another story. And that was something I only realized when the smell hit me.
Astrid threw a barrel of fish oil at the crab. And with the arrow that Michael fired, we now had ignited it. The monster roared the second the top of itself was engulfed in flames. We could see as the eyes started to bubble and boil over because of intense heat. The monster tried to shake the flames, dancing from side to side. While it moved, I spotted a set of trees that had been broken but were still standing up. When the monster moved to the right, it got right under them.
That gave me an idea.
Going for a risky maneuver, I rushed under the monster and triggered {Compression} on both of those trees once only the corner of its body was on top of them. Making those as big as I could make them. The impact as they grew caused the monster to tip to the side and topple over. Pinning its eyes deep into the ground while leaving its belly completely exposed.
Astrid quickly understood the idea and jumped into the soft underbelly of the creature, prepared another {Frost Chop} and brought the knife down on its shell. And using a compressed rock, I did the same, triggering {Formless Ice Devil Lunge}. The two of us continued to hack away at the creature as it tried to tip to the side again, but crabs, much like turtles, couldn't really do that. If they ever were flipped on their back outside of the water, there was nothing they could do to regain their footing. Not without some help.
We continued to hack away, attacking the most vital parts of the monster that we could find. Even long after we had run out of Energy to use skills, we continued hitting the crab with everything we got. The fires were starting to spread to its underside due to the oil that dripped from its back. And the creature got more and more panicked as it realized we were not stopping. It got to the point where it was using its own legs to try to attack us blindly. Piercing its own body with its massive talon-like feet that kept creating more craters on its body and revealing more of the soft meat underneath the shell. A couple of times its legs got close, and I was hit by them twice, one that cut my leg and the other my arm. But even then, I didn't stop. {Body Regeneration} could wait. Killing the Emperor couldn't.
Halfway through that process, my stomach started to rumble because the smell coming out of the monster was simply delicious. I never had crab before, but it seemed like this time I would have an actual feast of it.
After almost 20 minutes of the creature struggling and the flames spreading across the forest, Astrid and I finally felt a rush of particles going into us. We had killed the Emperor Flathead and were now the true rulers of the lake.