Salt Mine & Salt Snakes- IV

He had almost bought the HP potion before he saw the skill. It was the only active skill which could be bought with just measly 40 salt crystals. The other skills were all around 150 or 300. Perhaps it was to support on this absurdly hard level?

Saad confirmed his purchases, feeling a renewed sense of confidence as he equipped the chest plate and boots. His determination to conquer this brutal environment burned stronger than ever and after recovering his stamina. He moved forward.

Saad's heart pounded in his chest as he ventured deeper into the labyrinthine salt mines. The further he went, the darker and more silent it became, shrouding him in an eerie stillness. The ambient light from earlier had faded, leaving him in near darkness. His cautious steps echoed softly in the silence.

As he finally emerged into a brighter area, Saad's body went cold. Before him, coiled in a majestic yet menacing manner, lay the Salt Snake. Albeit it looked to be sleeping; it was still the snake that had finished him off in seconds. Fear gnawed at the edges of Saad's resolve as he realized the magnitude of the challenge before him. The snake's level and attributes were way beyond his own, and its abilities were formidable.

[Salt Snake]

Level: 25

HP: 680/680

Attributes:

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Stamina: 57

Strength: 57

Agility: 57

Intelligence: 57

Vitality: 57

Arcane Points: 69.5

The snake's imposing presence seemed to fill the cavern, and Saad couldn't help but wonder if he had bitten off more than he could chew. Doubt crept into his mind. Could he really defeat this behemoth? How would he even go about it? Should he just stop right here and and just try next month with normal level? Could anyone even beat this difficulty?

Saad's instincts screamed at him to retreat silently, to live to fight another day. He began to move back with painstaking care, trying not to make a sound. But the salt mines were treacherous, and fate had other plans for him.

As he retreated, his foot grazed a loose salt crystal, sending it skittering across the cavern floor. The tiny sound seemed deafening in the silence, and Saad froze, his heart sinking. He turned to see a Salt Critter, alerted by the noise, emitting screeching noises that echoed through the chamber.

The slumbering Salt Snake stirred, its white, slit-pupiled eyes snapping open. It raised its massive head and fixed its gaze upon Saad. Panic surged through him as he realized that there was no escape. He had been spotted.

With a deafening hiss, the Salt Snake lunged, its enormous form coiling and striking like lightning. Saad sprang into action, summoning every ounce of his courage and resolve.

The battle that followed was fierce and intense, a struggle of blood and sweat on Saad's behalf. Saad's every move was met with a swift counterattack from the Salt Snake. His whip cracked through the air, but its strikes seemed feeble against the beast's crystalline hide.

The Salt Snake's venomous fangs glistened, and its massive tail lashed out with deadly precision. Saad's agility and evasion were put to the test as he dodged and weaved, desperately trying to avoid the creature's lethal strikes. He knew that he wouldn't be able to withstand even one of the attack. It was even more terrifying when he saw the salt critter getting crushed by one of the attack. A single attack!

Saad fought with all his might, using every skill at his disposal. He unleashed the newly acquired [Whip Snap], its sonic boom creating a powerful burst of damage that struck the Salt Snake. But the serpent was relentless, and its sheer power was overwhelming.

As the battle raged on, Saad's health steadily dwindled. His stamina waned, and his attacks grew weaker. The Salt Snake, on the other hand, showed no signs of tiring. Its venomous strikes took their toll, poisoning Saad and sapping his strength.

In the end, despite his valiant effort, Saad was outmatched. The Salt Snake's final strike was swift and merciless, delivering the same attack as before. It used the [Fear] skill and then easily used the [Venomous Saltaire strike], that left Saad paralyzed and gasping for breath. The deadly poison coursed through his veins, and he felt his consciousness slipping away.

[You have been inflicted by the Venomous Saltaire Strike. The cyanide will kill you in 30 seconds.]

With his vision fading and his body wracked with pain, Saad knew it was game over. Darkness enveloped him, and he felt a sensation of falling.

Moments later, Saad's eyes snapped open, and he found himself back at the initial salt lake, staring up at the rocky ceiling. The shock of his defeat still lingered, and he realized that his experience points had been lost once again.

As Saad lay on the rocky ground, his gaze fixed on the cavern ceiling above. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, and a deep sense of hopelessness settled within him. The pain from his recent defeat still lingered, a constant reminder of his shortcomings. 'There is no way I can ever win', he thought. The Salt Snake was a formidable foe, and Saad felt utterly powerless against it.

He clenched his fists, frustration and despair bubbling up within him. This virtual world, this brutal test, it was all too much. Saad despised every fiber of his being for selecting the hard option without thinking much. He wanted to quit, to escape from this relentless torment. But something held him back.

With a deadened gaze, he opened his character profile, almost absentmindedly. There, in the midst of his despair, he noticed something peculiar. His poison resistance had increased by 10%. Saad blinked in surprise, trying to make sense of it. It meant that every time he faced the venomous Saltaire Strike, his body was gradually building resistance to the poison.

The realization struck him like a ray of hope in the darkness. Maybe, just maybe, he could overcome the Salt Snake with enough determination and persistence. But the question loomed—how many times would he need to die and be reborn before his resistance reached 100%?

Saad shuddered at the thought, his body still tingling with the remnants of the poison. It was a daunting prospect, but he couldn't let fear and despair hold him back. Slowly, he pushed himself up from the ground, dragging his feet as he made his way back to the same path from behind, almost getting used to the bleak salt crystals and briny water.

Saad ventured deeper into the salt mines once again. This time, he wasn't as paralyzed by fear at the thought of encountering the snake. He had come to terms with the harsh reality that constant deaths were part of this game. He tried to reassure himself that it was just a game, but the thought of facing the snake still sent shivers down his spine.

Encountering three salt critters of level 5, Saad dispatched them with relative ease, a stark contrast to his initial run. Compared to the menacing salt snake, these critters seemed like mere distractions.

As he moved forward, he explored the smaller tunnel that branched off before the crossroads. To his astonishment, he found himself overlooking a vast chamber teeming with hundreds of salt critters. The creatures varied in level, ranging from 5 to 10, and their sheer numbers were overwhelming.

Despite the danger, Saad's curiosity got the better of him, especially when he spotted numerous chests scattered throughout the chamber. There was even another safe room situated across from him, tempting him with its potential rewards. It was an enticing but perilous situation.

Summoning his courage, Saad quietly collected salt crystals from the surroundings, planning to use them to create distractions and thin out the critters' numbers. He managed to eliminate nine of them successfully without alerting the others to his presence.

However, his luck eventually ran out when he tried to take down a tenth critter. The creature spotted him, and the chamber erupted in a cacophony of screeches and hisses. Panic coursed through Saad as he realized he was outnumbered and exposed.

Without a moment's hesitation, he turned and sprinted for cover, urgently seeking refuge in the safety of the nearby tunnels. Facing the entire horde of salt critters head-on would undoubtedly be suicide. For now, his only option was to hide in the nearby safe room and pray that the critters would eventually lose interest and leave him in peace.