Deity of War Tomb (3)

"How in the world are we gonna bring down that monstrosity?" Rasoul exclaimed.

The creature in front of them was hands down the scariest thing they'd come across yet; just looking at it gave them the creeps. Its six pairs of eyes kept scanning the area like there was no tomorrow. No matter where they went, it seemed like the creature could spot them.

"I reckon there's a gap under its belly. If we manage to get under there, we might land a fatal hit," Lara suggested, eyeing the creature carefully.

"The trick is how to get underneath it. With those six pairs of eyes, it can easily spot us and use its bunch of legs and claws to attack," Sabrat chimed in, sharing his thoughts.

"No way we're chopping down those legs; they're way too stable. We can only take it out by following Lara's idea. But, before we do that, we gotta blind it, so we can slip under and strike," Rasoul said, mulling over his teammates' observations. "To kill this thing, we gotta blind it by taking out all twelve of those eyes," he added.

"Plus, bombs are a no-go. The booms might attract more of these critters. We've gotta rely on our skills and abilities," Rasoul emphasized.

"Two of us gotta keep its attention while the third goes in for those blinding attacks," Lara suggested. She grasped the challenge they faced but knew they had to adapt to take down the monstrous creature.

"Me and Lara will be the distractions; you go in for those attacks, Sabrat," Rasoul instructed, then added, "Keep the telepathic connection going. This thing's smart, so we gotta move quietly and swiftly."

"Got it," both Sabrat and Lara replied.

"All right, it's a plan. Time for me to shine. Sabrat, vanish when the time's right; Lara, be ready for my signal. Operation Blinding is a go," Rasoul announced to his comrades as he started advancing toward the beast. He halted when he was about 50 meters away and spoke.

"Hey there, Mr. Spider Scorpion man. Howdy, I get it, you're probably swamped with spider-scorpion stuff, but I'll cut to the chase. I'm on a mission, collecting goodies for a big project, and your body and core seem like a prime addition. So, what do you say? Will you be a hero and donate to this fantastic cause? Your sacrifice will be a real game-changer," Rasoul smoothly conveyed, inching closer to the colossal creature.

"It'd be a real shame if you turn down this noble plea. I won't sugarcoat it; it'll complicate things. But mark my words, whether you're on board or not, your body and core are hitching a ride with me today. Make the smart choice; it's your destiny we're talking about here."

As Rasoul skillfully negotiated, the creature, sensing a delay tactic, made a menacing move—or at least tried to. Out of the blue, a nimble young man leaped in, thrusting two daggers straight into the beast's eyes. A deafening hiss echoed, and the creature, now blind, charged toward Rasoul on all sixteen legs. Swiftly, Rasoul triggered his domain and initiated a strategic pattern, the beast tailing him with relentless determination.

Mid-chase, Rasoul hit the brakes. The creature mirrored the pause, blood oozing from the sockets where Sabrat's daggers had found their mark.

As the creature geared up for a fierce attack, a bolt of lightning energy suddenly zapped it, throwing it off balance for just a moment. Sabrat, seizing the chance, swiftly jabbed at its eye with a quick and precise strike, totally catching the beast off guard. Sabrat's role might seem straightforward, but it's also the riskiest – mistime it, and the creature could tear him apart.

Rasoul, on the other hand, circled the creature again, trying to distract it from Lara, who was back in action aiming at the beast. It was the first time Rasoul used his Seek ability, taunting the spider-like beast and creating the perfect opportunity for Lara to land a mighty blow. This move not only allowed Lara to strike but also let Sabrat go in for another eye.

***

([Seek: Active]

>> The host can provoke others by subconsciously compelling them to move in his direction.

>> The host can pinpoint weak points on enemies for critical hits.)

***

Sabrat decided to start with the left eye, thinking strategically. If everything went according to his plan, the creature would lose sight of its left side, giving them the chance to approach from that side. If it worked out, they might even exploit the blinded left side to sneak underneath and deliver a decisive blow.

As Rasoul continued taunting the beast, Lara unleashed her radiant attacks. Their combined assault put the beast on the defensive for a solid 10 minutes until it switched to an offensive stance.

Suddenly, the creature launched a web-like strike, narrowly missing Lara thanks to Rasoul's quick action. However, Rasoul couldn't evade it entirely, getting a scratch on his back from the beast's claw, causing a bit of blood to seep out. Although his health kicked in, the healing process was slow.

Undaunted, Rasoul retaliated by shooting lightning bolts at the beast. Simultaneously, Lara showered it with lightning, forcing the creature back into a defensive posture. Rasoul quickly realized Lara's strategy and reached out to her telepathically.

'Lara, I'm fine. If you keep raining down lightning like that, Sabrat won't be able to get close to the beast.'

Lara gradually eased off the lightning onslaught but kept bombarding the creature with intense light beams. Sabrat, sly as ever, successfully eliminated all six eyes on the left side of the creature. Blinded on its left, the creature shifted its focus to Rasoul and Lara on the right.

Rasoul swiftly directed Sabrat, "When you see an opening on the left side, go for a deadly strike."

"Got it. Just keep it distracted. It'll be done soon," Sabrat replied.

Having answered Rasoul, Sabrat immediately triggered his 'Shadowmeld Mastery' ability, blending into the shadows. Inside the shadow realm, he activated 'Hellforged Ignition,' causing his daggers to blaze with eerie green flames as he patiently waited for the perfect moment.

Meanwhile, Rasoul and Lara relentlessly attacked the creature, bombarding it with a barrage of lightning bolts for nearly 10 minutes. When the creature decided to go on the offensive once more, Sabrat seized the opportunity. As the spider lowered its defenses, gearing up for an attack, Sabrat emerged from the shadows, thrusting his flaming daggers right through the vulnerable openings in the creature's segmented belly.

Hellfire swiftly seeped into the beast, scorching it from the inside. After struggling to resist for two minutes, the creature succumbed to the flames and dropped lifeless.

Rasoul collapsed onto his back, his complexion turning pale. Lara hurried to his side, cradling him in her arms.

"What's wrong?" Lara questioned, a hint of tears welling up in her eyes.

"I'm okay. Just a bit of poison. I can handle it," Rasoul weakly reassured her. He then commanded the system to seal the area.

[That'll be 10,000,000 Fire points]

'Take it.'

He handed the ring to Sabrat, instructing him to stay put since they had already vanquished the guardian protecting the area. Rasoul and Lara then stepped into the ring.

Once inside, Rasoul promptly removed his armor and shirt, exposing a sizable wound emitting a dark aura.

'System...' Rasoul called upon the system to learn more about the nature of his injury.

[You've been poisoned with a venom named Venomous Silkshade.]

[It induces paralysis and triggers hallucinations, subjecting those affected to a painful acid trip.]

'Any cure?' Rasoul inquired.

[The sole known antidote for Venomous Silkshade is the mystical Elixir of Astral Dawn, a rare potion crafted from the petals of the Lumina Bloom, a flower that only blossoms under the light of a full moon.]

'And, I assume we don't have any, but you've got a solution, right?' Rasoul grumbled inwardly with irritation. The system spotted an opportunity to cash in a hefty amount of Fire Points from Rasoul.

[You speak my language. It's like we're finally connecting.]

[But, naturally, it will cost you 800,000,000 Fire points.]

"Are you kidding me..." Rasoul exclaimed aloud, his voice carrying a mix of frustration and resigned calmness. This, of course, caught Lara's attention.

"What's going on?" she inquired while continuing to run her fingers through Rasoul's hair. He laid on his stomach, his head resting on Lara's lap.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it," Rasoul weakly replied, shifting his attention back to the system.

'You win this round, system. It won't be the same next time. Just take it and cure me.'

[Poison healing process initiated.]

[The host will remain unconscious for 24 hours.]

Rasoul promptly passed out with his head still on Lara's lap. After twenty-four hours, he awoke to a chime.

Ding...

[The poison has been successfully cleared from the host's body.]

[The host is advised to work on increasing his Physique to unlock the ability to counter poisons.]

[Consider it a little bonus for our successful collaboration.]

'Crafty...' Rasoul muttered in dissatisfaction, not pleased with how the system took advantage of his weakened state. Little did he know, the system did it intending to nudge Rasoul into more adventures, ultimately making him stronger. Rasoul had struck gold when he received that substantial amount of Fire Points for defeating Lara back in the Dark Forest. Taking everything from him will drive him to embark on more adventures.

Rasoul then redirected his attention to the final notification.

Ding...

[Your accomplice Sabrat has defeated an Arachnoquill Beast Guardian.]

[Realm: Great Beast]

[Rewards:]

> 100,000 Fire Points

> 1000 Attribute points

> 100,000 EXP

'System, how many fire points do I have now?'

[Fire Points: 46,000,800]

'Fantastic. Now I'll have to go hunting for more Fire points if I want to tackle tougher challenges in the future. And as for those Seven Great Families, I'll cook up something special for them...' Rasoul contemplated inwardly, a cold grin forming on his face.

'System, even though we're not exactly on good terms right now, I might need your help after we exit the tomb. Promise you won't scam me again, will you?'

[I'm here to serve and protect you, Host. Always looking out for you. Just make sure to stock up on those Fire Points, okay?]

After exchanging a few more words with the system, Rasoul finally opened his eyes. Lara noticed immediately and began to apologize, but before she could, Rasoul pulled her into a hug and whispered in her ear.

"You're not at fault, Lara. Stuff happens on the battlefield, and I wouldn't blame you for what went down. If anything, I should be the one apologizing. It's my duty as a leader to shield my team, and clearly, I messed up there.

"I was careless and didn't pay attention to my surroundings. Because of my recklessness, you were nearly gone. Forgive me, Rasoul; I let you down," Lara admitted, and Rasoul could sense tears falling onto his shoulder, indicating Lara was crying.

"You haven't let me down, Lara. You've been a tremendous support, more than you realize. Don't burden yourself with things like this. We're soon going to welcome new members into the family. Next time, we'll have more hands to tackle any beast that comes our way," Rasoul reassured as he pulled away from the hug. However, before he could say more, Lara leaned in and pressed her lips against Rasoul's.

A surge of pleasure instantly surged through Rasoul's body. 'What the heck?...' he thought inwardly.