Taking Credit

[As you walk, you notice that the riverbank is becoming muddier, and you remember avoiding the upcoming stretch of riverbank when you passed by before. Before you can make the suggestion, Master Brightflame tells you there is deep-water mud ahead.

You take a broad path around the muddy riverbank…]

Lem's simulated self felt regret.

Even when he was actually aware of the danger ahead, he had still not been quick enough to inform the elder.

At the direction of the martial elder, he began walking back towards the river. 

The forest was dark and still by comparison with the riverbank. The only sounds came from crunching footsteps as they stepped on fallen leaves and small plants.

"I felt some…" Lem's simulated self began, before trailing off.

Through a gap in the trees, he could see the river ahead.

And in between, a huge figure was emerging from onto the bank. Streams of water fell down from its broad, jagged carapace in a miniature cascade.

Danger…

It was a death-skull crab, and it was clear that it had noticed them. Its beady eyes were staring directly in their direction.

Lem's simulated self froze.

It was a towering creature with bizarre features. Even though it was moving slowly, he could tell that it was a moment away from charging.

The ground between them would be covered in an instant. Its several-meter-long body would flatten the trees in the way.

Lem's simulated self was momentarily taken aback, however, he noticed that the martial elder's expression was placid.

He felt relieved. The crab was not a real threat, at least, not for Master Brightflame.

A moment later, Lem's simulated self had another realization. 

The situation was to his advantage!

"That must be what I was feeling," he whispered to the martial elder.

[As you rejoin the riverbank, you see a death-skull crab that is half-out of the river. It is twice the size of a man, and for a moment you are scared. You see the calm expression on Master Brightflame's face, and you regain your nerves. You try to take credit for predicting the appearance of the crab.]

Master Brightflame did not respond to Lem's simulated self. His eyes did not move from the death-skull crab.

It pulled the rest of its body out of the river, shaking its rear legs free of water. Its mandibles opened and closed, while the bone markings on its carapace appeared to stare directly at Lem, like another set of eyes.

Eight of its ten legs touched the muddy ground. 

Its two massive pincers began snapping.

Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack!

Lem could imagine a person being cut in half by the sharp claws. Somehow neither he nor his simulated self were particularly concerned.

The martial elder was standing next to him. 

Impressive as the crab was, he doubted it could move faster than the eye could track and explode sections of the forest on command.

He had to remind himself that Master Brightflame had such capabilities.

Everything would be fine, as long as this particular crab was not a relative of the behemoth he had seen lurking by Lang Town…

Woosh!