The Impenetrable Centipede

"Move your f*cking legs! AND RUN!!!!!"

I shouted at the bear, but it stood still. Instead of moving forward, it took a few steps back.

"What are you doing?!"

The bear didn't make a sound. Then a few seconds later.

BOOM!

What looked like the face of a large centipede rushed out from the side of the wall a few feet in front of us and smashed into the other side. My jaw dropped. How big was this thing? I've only witnessed the side of it and for All I Know, it's able to make a wall that could block an entire tunnel. Judging from how long it took to get from one side to the other, this thing was probably 10, no, 20 meters!

After it disappeared. I hopped off the bear and looked at the giant hole the centipede monster created.

"This thing is... big."

Suddenly, a blue message popped up.

[Quest: Slay the Impenetrable Centipede (0/1)]

[There is no escape...]

Ha, really? Is this system trying to kill me? How the hell am I gonna kill a giant monster like that?! I don't even think my claws will do any good.

Then I remembered I got a sword from completing the quest.

I took out the Mithril longsword that I received from the "SLAY THEM ALL" quest. The blade looked a bit like silver, but once I tested the sword on my arm, it easily cut through. Like as if my skin was nothing but cheese.

"This sword is going to be useful."

I hopped back onto the bear and continued forward.

***

We eventually ended up in a large cave. There was some glowing crystal on the ceiling which lit up a part of the area. Looks like I won't be needing light magic for now.

Rumble~

The cave began shaking again. I looked at the bear and it looked like it was ready to pounce.

CRASH!

An eruption from the ceiling. The centipede came down with its large terrifying fangs and mouth open.

"KYAAAAAAAA!!!"

It roared.

I jumped away, and it crashed into the ground. I quickly got up and used [Lacerate], slashing the side of its body.

Clang!

The centipede's skin was hard that my sword only left a tiny dent. Then the centipede disappeared.

"Shit, it can resist Mithril?!"

The ground trembled once again as the centipede traveled through the walls. I closed my eyes and tried sensing where it would come next.

Left...

Right...

Bottom...

Top...

Due to its long size, I was moving everywhere.

If it tries doing the same thing it did last time: diving from the top, I'll just use fire magic and blast it inside.

BOOM!

I looked up, and it was diving once again with its mouth and fangs open. Exactly what I needed.

Suddenly, I saw a glow coming from the inside of its mouth. Is that light? No, wait!

The centipede then spat fire at me.

"The centipede can breathe fire?!"

I couldn't dodge, the flames were nearing me. Then the bear pushed me away, and then it was swallowed by the storm of flames and by the centipede whole.

The centipede later crashed down into the ground. When it got up, it skittered over to the wall and dug into it.

Rumble~

"..."

The bear just got burnt alive, then it just got eaten like a barbeque. Well... it was nice knowing you, Iron Death Bear.

Wait a minute. I just remembered...

My summons can't die.

BOOM!

The giant centipede came crashing down onto the ground. As the smoke cleared, I could see that there was a little protrusion moving around in the middle of the centipede. The centipede tried moving, but due to the protrusion, it was struggling.

Rip!

The bulge in the middle of its long body exploded, and the bulge was my spectral. It was all covered in black goo and smelled really weird. The bear returned to my side. Then it disintegrated into blue energy and returned into the star streak pattern on my chest.

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

[Quest: Slay the Massive Centipede (Completed)]

[Rewards: Impenetrable Skin]

Is this an effect?

[Impenetrable Skin will replace Iron Skin. Do you wish to proceed? (Y/N?)]

Can I see what it does first?

[Impenetrable Skin: All physical damage received is reduced by 20%]

A 10 percent difference? That is actually pretty useful.

[Iron Skin has been replaced with Impenetrable Skin]

"Now that my defense has been increased, I think I'll be able to resist Mithril now."

I tested my new effect out and the Mithril sword didn't even leave a scratch. I looked at the Mithril sword and deposited in my storage.

[Souls are nearby]

I looked at the centipede's corpse, and a green light hovered above the body.

"That's weird, it isn't blue."

I walked towards it and reached my hand out. The green light slowly came towards me and soon it made contact with my hand.

Flash!

[Soul absorbed: Impenetrable Centipede]

I smirked and walked to an open area.

"Come out."

A ghostly green light flew out of my chest and as it was in the middle of materializing, it crashed into the wall.

BOOM!

As the smoke cleared up, a massive centipede appeared in front of me. It was my summon but something was odd about it. The glow it was letting out was different. Yes, it was clouded with darkness but instead of giving out a cold blue aura, it was green.

When the centipede caught sight of me, it skittered its large pointy legs and came to my side.

The hole that it got from the bear was gone. It looks like when they become a spectral, they turn into the forms that they had before they were injured. That's a relief because I don't want half-rotten looking monsters as my summons.

Now that I claimed the centipede's soul, I have two souls now.

[Souls (3/34)]

What? The centipede's soul takes up 2 spaces? But why? Can this system explain?

[Soul ranks]

Soul ranks?

[Soul ranks: Souls are ranked from weakest to strongest. There are 5 ranks and each one has a different color. A summon's rank will be determined by their appearance. These are the ranks from weakest to strongest: Blue; Green; Purple; Golden; Red. They will be able to rank up to the next color, but they will go through 3 specific stages. Their first stage will be their current stage, their next stage will be a similar color but different, and the last stage will transform their dark cloaks to light. Then they will be able to rank up]

The centipede is green, so that means it's a higher rank than the bear. But the bear killed the centipede like it was nothing. That was because it attacked from the inside. I think that about sums it up. If the bear didn't sacrifice itself for me, I would've ended up dead. After all, my summons are unable to die.

Anyway, I realize that I have some stat points available. I should deposit all the stat points that I've been saving up.

---

[Stats]

Strength: 52

Resistance: 50

Agility: 62

Perception: 52

Aura: 34

(Available stat points: 40)

---

40? Wow, that is a lot. Let's see. I think I'll put 10 points in all of them except aura. I don't think I'll need to worry about aura yet.

---

[Stats]

Strength: 62

Resistance: 60

Agility: 72

Perception: 62

Aura: 34

(Available stat points: 0)

---

Clack.

I turned around and a few rocks fell off the ledge. I looked up, and I thought I saw something move. Since my perception has risen, I'm able to sense a bit of life energy. Currently, there was one presence not including me in this room. But I can't see who it is.

Could this person be using some sort of camouflage?

"Who's there?! Reveal yourself!"

I shouted. All I got was silence.

"If you don't come out..."

A blue and green light slowly oozed out from my back. I had the centipede and the bear on standby.

"Wait wait!"

This voice! It belonged to a girl.

I looked down and the girl slowly became visible. I could see her appearance now. She had green hair and yellow eyes. She had human skin with a few golden scales on her hands, legs, and face. On top of that, she was wearing what looked like. She looked like she was in her 20s.

Well, I'm assuming she's 20, who knows how old she really is? Appearances are different between earth and other worlds. A small looking girl could be 500 years old and an adult could be 14! Can't they just get the appearances that suit their ages?

"U-umm... are you the one that defeated the monster?"

"Hmm?"

I looked at the centipede corpse. Well, I didn't really kill it; it was the bear that did. But... that bear is my summon, so it still counts as me killing it. So I guess I did.

"Yep. I killed it."

I lied. Or did I? I don't really know.

A smile appeared on the girl's face.

"You really did?! That's a relief, I need to tell mother."

Huh? What did she just say? There are more people like her?

"I'll have to bring you along, too!"

"Huh?"

"Please, come!"

She ran over to me and clasped my hand, dragging me to another tunnel.

"W-where are we going?"

I asked.

"To my tribe!"