Rocks with Brains

[Arius POV]

Walking out of the green and into the grey, I once again feel the gravity reduce and start seeing many more large stone pillars that went from the ground to the ceiling. From what I've seen so far, it seems like this S.T.A. is just one large cave system. Looking around, the cave seemed pretty empty, other than the bit of green from where we left, there was only flat ground all the way until something stopped me from seeing further ahead.

"Big Brother Jaque, where are we going to find the Fonotavic Dust?"

"Well, I'll tell you. Just don't jump when you hear it... Fonotavic Dust is harvested from a species of stone monsters."

"WAA! Monsters!"

"Shhh, we're in the S.T.A., remember? Plus, we're in a cave. Echos are everywhere."

"ok..ssshhhhhhh"

"So back to what I was saying, there is a species of stone monsters that naturally generate inside this cave, they use the mana-accepting properties of Fonotavic Dust to control their bodies which are made of different-sized rocks. We'll find them in the Inferior zone."

"The Inferior zone? That means we shown find them soon."

After the formation of the Adventurer guild, S.T.A.'s have been more thoroughly analyzed and it is found that every S.T.A. has three zones in it. The Inferior Zone, the Superior Zone, and the Absolute Zone. The zones are determined by the distance from which it is from the portal. However, due to the varying sized of S.T.A.s, the distance is not exact. But they all follow the same ratios for each zone. The Inferior zone takes 20%. Superior takes 70%. Absolute takes 10%. Going deeper and passing into a new zone, monsters and beasts get much stronger and deadlier.

Going down one of the many smaller caves that branch off the main cave, we turn a corner to see a single rock with a few protrusions slowly making its way through the cave. Before I could speak, Big brother Jaque pulls me to the side and covers my mouth.

"Shhh, Arius. You really can't be making sounds when you see something new. you gotta expect the unexpected, you know."

"yeah, yeah... ok, ok. So how do we get the Fonotavic Dust out of that thing?"

"Well, we got to kill it."

"WA-"

"Shh!"

"ok, so how do we kill? What weapon do I use?"

"Just go and bash that thing with your pickaxe."

"what do you mean just 'go and bash that thing', you gotta teach me how?"

I felt that Big Brother Jaque was out of his mind. He was the one that was saying it's dangerous this it's dangerous that, don't do this or that! But he just tells me to go in with no plan!

"Arius, you know what?"

"What?"

"I've learned that experience is the best teacher. Once you've experienced how to fight, then you can start using strategy."

With that sentence, I give him a look of disapproval while he cracks a grin at me. I could see a bit of crazy in his eyes. Suddenly, he leans forward and grabs me before throwing me around the corner.

"GO AND LEARN!!"

Plop!

Landing in the middle of the cave, I see the rock turn around and look at me. Don't ask me how I could tell that the rock was looking at me, it is like an inner feeling. Getting myself off the ground, I take out my pickaxe readying myself to fight. As if it saw the pickaxe and felt my malicious intent toward it, the monster begins to spin, slowly picking up more and more speed.

I didn't really know what to do as it continued to speed up. I was hesitating, should I go attack it? It seems too late now.

'What am I supposed to do now?'

Before I could finish my thought I see the spinning rock move from its location using its protrusions and spikes climbing up the side of the cave and flinging itself toward me.

SWOOOSH!

"HAAA, Move!"

Seeing that the rock was coming for my head, I quickly lean backwards, falling onto my back and avoiding the rock that flew above me.

CRASH!

Quickly getting back up, I see the rock had flung itself far and stopped itself by sliding on the ground.

"I got you now!"

Seeing my chance, I quickly run toward the rock and swung at it as hard as possible.

Clack!

Hearing the satisfying sound of stone breaking, the pickaxe was now embedded deep within the monster. With my swing, I managed to even break off a few of the spikes on it. Thinking that my job was done, I stop putting force on the pickaxe, ready to call Big Brother over to correct the dust.

FLING!

Suddenly, the monster spins upwards causing my embedded pickaxe to fly off the monster and out of my hands. Having been disarmed, I quickly retreat to try and get back to my pickaxe. But before I had the chance, I see the spinning ball jump toward me wanting to slice me up for revenge. Not knowing what to do, I try to move out of the what despite knowing that it would be futile.

CLING!

Hearing the sound of metal hitting rock, I see Big Brother Jaque holding his sword, blocking the spinning monster and sending flying back. Sheathing his blade, he turns toward me with a look of encouragement and ruthlessness.

"This will be the first and last time I'll save you while you're learning so step it up. These monsters are a lot smarter than those goblins that you faced back in the forest. Don't underestimate you're opponents in an S.T.A. and remember to use everything you can to win."

Seeing Big Brother moving back away from the area, I only had two thoughts in my mind.

'First, what can I use to win? Second, Big Brother Jaque is such a bad teacher.'

More of my brain was thinking about one thing more than the other. For which one it is, you can think about that one.

Since Big Brother had thrown the monster back quite far, I had a few more seconds to think of my next move. I could try to talk to Dakria but I want to try and do this myself, plus I already know that she's not going to help me just like the other times she ignores me.

'Hmm, I guess I'll just activate the only skill I have.'

SWISSHHH

My eyes were still recovering from looking at the portal of the S.T.A. As soon as I activated my spectacles, I felt my eyes tingle a little. Still, I ignored the pain and started thinking about my plan.

Looking around with my skill, I see that the entire cave was flowing with mana. Above me, it looked like there was a river of mana flowing further into the caves. Focusing on the stone monster, I see it start spinning toward me again. Looking at it closely as it spun around, the monster released a steady stream of mana forming circles in the air.

"Alright, let's do this."

I see the monster once again perform the same trick, rocking onto the sides of the cave at launching itself at me. Anticipating it, I quickly roll to the side and grab my pickaxe from off the ground.

Holding my pickaxe, I wait. I wait for the monster to come spinning at me again. The next time it comes, I'll be ready and that will be its end.

'Deep breath, haaa huuuuu... I can do this.'

With my plan formulated in my head, I see the monster spinning toward me again. I could tell that it was angry, it was spinning up and down the cave, managing to do complete loops. It keeps spinning around in the cave slowly coming closer to me.

'Three seconds!'

As the monster came within 5 meters of me, it changes its pattern. Quickly moving up the cave, this time it didn't come down. It continued to climb on the ceiling above me.

'Two seconds...'

As soon as it arrives at the place above me, it comes flying down, wanting the crush me and be done with it. Looking straight up, holding the pickaxe with both hands, I jump up toward the monster to meet at impact. I was staring it down with my spectacles, tracking every single movement.

'One second...'

...

...

"EAT THIS, YOU ROCK!!!"

CLANK!!

...

[Jaque POV]

'Well, ain't that something.'

Ever since I started being an adventurer, I had to learn everything the hard way. The price to pay was strong, too heavy, too priceless. I didn't have anyone there to really teach me anything. Since I know that it's inevitable, I wish for Arius to experience only a fraction of what I had to endure. Pain and suffering only help instill an experience to a certain point. Past that point, the opposite is true.

It's a cruel reality but that is often what the truth is.

... ... ...

Looking at the way of movement and intent that Arius carried in his eyes, he activated a skill of some sort. After so many years, the way people take pride in their skills never changes. I guess Arius is from a pure race then. Once a member of a pure race awakens, they are capable of using a racial skill immediately. Demi-onics awakens their first racial skill upon their first kill. Half races when they turn 11 years old.

As I see Arius going to meet the stone monster, I have full confidence in his ability. I see that Arius has grasped the weakness of these stone monsters. All I have to do is wait for the battle to conclude in the next second.

...

[Arius POV]

As I jumped toward the stone monster, I continued to look at a certain spot on the monster. I just needed to wait a little longer. Zero seconds left. As soon as the rock got within half a meter, I heeve down a blow with all my might!

"EAT THIS, YOU ROCK!!!"

CLANK!!

With the sound of my pickaxe penetrating the stone monster, I knew that the battle was over. I won.

Pooosh!

Landing on the ground panting, I see what has become of my opponent. A rock that has been cracked open like an egg, exposing a lot of glowing mana from the core.

"Great job, Arius. How did you figure out that its weakness is where it emits mana?"

"It was mostly luck! ha ha... I saw where the mana came out with my skill, then the next time it tried to attack me it stopped rotating to face that area away from me. I knew that-ha ha- that part had to be special in some way! So this time, I jumped to hit it before it could stop rotating."

"AMAZING! Looks like that brain of yours is pretty good in combat!"

"Yeah, thanks. I got one thing to say though."

"What?"

"You're bad at teaching!"

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Dakria Fun Fact: Monsters(Mana infused)

The stone monsters that Arius fights are part of the monster category, Mana-infused Monsters. These monsters will have a central core that contains the mana they require to move. Their bodies themselves are often made of inorganic materials as they don't need blood and food to survive, only mana. Additionally, this type of monster usually doesn't reproduce. They are created when an object is rich enough in mana for it to develop sentience. They are the second most common category of monsters.