Chapter 56: Double Drop!
Gray drifted through the black sand field, his crystalline barbs still slick with the remnants of the Obsidian Crab’s fluids. The massive corpse had dissolved completely against his feeding surface, leaving behind only the faint metallic taste of mineral-rich chitin and the warm pulse of the new trait fragment settled in his core.
He pulled up his status as he moved, checking the numbers.
STATUS MENU
Name: Gray Ashford
Species: Aurelia abyssalis — Abyssal Lancer (Armored Abyssal Aurelia Variant)
Level: 25
Title: Colony Killer, Exterminator
Stats:
· HP: 578 / 650
· MP: 345 / 600
· ATK: 63
· DEF: 61
· SPD: 125
· INT: 68
· LUK: 20
Traits (Integrated):
· Abyssal Crystal Carapace — 35% DEF penetration, crystalline barbs, 10% melee damage reduction, self-repairing crystal
· Venomous Spines — Toxin Vulnerability on contact, automatic retaliation, concentrated venom
· Predator’s Instinct — +25% reaction speed, predictive awareness, +40% electroreception
Skills:
· [Neurotoxic Drift] Lv. 8
· [Overcharge] Lv. 10 (MAX)
· [EMP Shroud] Lv. 7
· [Hollow Cloak] (Passive) Lv. 3
· [Grip Jaw] Lv. 4
· [Abyssal Lance] Lv. 7
· [Venomous Riposte] (Passive) Lv. 1
· [Cavitation Pulse] Lv. 6
Pending Traits:
· Rapid Burrowing (4/5)
· Elemental Resistance (1/5)
· Mental Fortitude (1/3)
· Obsidian Carapace (1/5)
’Rapid Burrowing is almost done. One more Myriapod and it’s complete.’
He swept his senses across the black sand field. The Obsidian Crab’s territory was vast, but it wasn’t the only predator here. Smaller creatures were already emerging from their hiding places, emboldened by the apex’s death. Silver dartfish. Glowing krill. A small, translucent squid that jetted past him, its body flashing through a rainbow of colors before disappearing into the shadows.
Then he felt it.
A vibration.
It was coming from a cluster of volcanic boulders near the edge of the black sand field, where the terrain transitioned back into the glowing forest. Gray angled toward it, Hollow Cloak swallowing his approach.
The Myriapod was feeding on a silver dartfish, from the look of it, its mandibles grinding through scales and bone. It hadn’t sensed him.
He didn’t bother with Neurotoxic Drift. The Myriapod’s carapace would resist the initial absorption, and he didn’t want to waste time. Instead, he activated Abyssal Lance from twenty meters out.
His body compressed. Crystalline barbs aligned. He launched.
[ABYSSAL LANCE — 102 DAMAGE]
[TRENCH MYRIAPOD — HP: 118 / 220]
[50% DEF PENETRATION — APPLIED]
The Myriapod didn’t even have time to shriek. Grip Jaw locked onto its throat, crushing. Overcharge detonated point-blank.
[GRIP JAW — 26 DAMAGE]
[OVERCHARGE — 84 DAMAGE]
[TRENCH MYRIAPOD — HP: 8 / 220]
One final Cavitation Pulse.
[CAVITATION PULSE — 54 DAMAGE]
[TRENCH MYRIAPOD DEFEATED — 280 EXP]
[TRAIT FRAGMENT ACQUIRED: "Rapid Burrowing" (5/5)]
[Trait Complete! Rapid Burrowing will be available as an evolution option at Level 30.]
Gray stared at the system notification with deep satisfaction.
’Luck 20 is seriously effective,’ he thought, flexing his crystalline barbs. ’Back when I had zero luck, I had to kill nine Darters just to get one fragment. Now? Almost every other kill drops something. Best investment I ever made.’
He turned his attention back to the glowing forest, his senses sweeping the darkness for his next target.
Then, his tentacles caught something — a tremor threading through the water like a whispered warning.
It started as a low thrum at the very edge of his perception, barely distinguishable from the background noise of the abyss. But it grew stronger with each passing second — a deep, resonant hum that vibrated through his bell and into his crystalline armor. His barbs clicked together involuntarily.
His tentacles went rigid.
’That sound...’
The glowing fronds around him began to sway. Something massive moving through the water far above. The bioluminescent light of the forest flickered as a shadow passed overhead — vast and dark and impossibly long.
Gray pressed himself flat against the seafloor, his Abyssal Crystal Carapace scraping against the black sand. He didn’t need to look up. He knew what it was.
’The Leviathans are hunting too,’ Gray thought, his bell compressed tight against the sand.
He waited until the last tremor faded from the water, then slowly rose from the seafloor. The glowing forest was quiet now. The smaller creatures had all vanished into their hiding places, their simple brains still trembling with primal terror.
’Alright. Back to hunting.’
He swept his senses outward, searching for familiar prey. The forest stretched before him, dark and deep. He drifted past clusters of tube worms, past volcanic boulders draped in phosphorescent moss, past the scattered remains of his previous kills.
Then his tentacles caught something.
A vibration. Complex and multi-layered, with a distinct rhythm he recognized immediately. It was coming from a clearing ahead, where the glowing fronds gave way to a circle of volcanic sand. Six distinct energy signatures, each one pulsing with a different elemental frequency.
’Another Chromatic Krakenling.’
He drifted closer, Hollow Cloak rendering him nearly invisible. The creature came into view — its sleek, iridescent mantle shifting through shades of purple and blue. Its six colored tentacles spread wide, each one crackling with its respective element. Its golden eyes swept the clearing with cold intelligence.
But something was different about this one.
It was larger than the first Krakenling he’d fought — nearly four feet across, its mantle thicker and more muscular. Scars lined its tentacles, old wounds from battles it had survived.
[CHROMATIC KRAKENLING — Level 26]
HP: 580 / 580
MP: 380 / 380
Threat Level: HIGH
« Analysis »
A mature juvenile of the Chromatic Kraken lineage. This specimen is older and more experienced than others of its kind, having survived multiple encounters with abyssal predators. Its tentacle control is more refined, its tactical awareness more developed.
WARNING: This Krakenling has learned to use its tentacles in combination rather than isolation. Expect coordinated elemental attacks and adaptive strategy.
Gray studied the creature, his crystalline barbs clicking softly. Level 26. One level above him. He’d killed the first Krakenling at Level 20 when it was Level 22. Now the gap was narrower, but the enemy was smarter.
’You’ve been through some fights. So have I.’
He positioned himself behind a cluster of volcanic boulders, calculating his approach. The first Krakenling had relied on raw power — cycling through its tentacles, using two at a time, never really combining them. If this one was different, he needed to be careful.
He deployed Neurotoxic Drift. The invisible venom cloud drifted toward the Krakenling, silent and undetectable.
The Krakenling’s golden eyes flickered. Its silver tentacle rippled, the reflective surface catching some faint distortion in the water — the disturbance of the venom particles spreading through the current.
The blue-white tentacle crackled. A surgical bolt of electricity lanced through the venom cloud, ionizing the particles before they could reach their target.
[NEUROTOXIC DRIFT — DISPERSED]
’So you’ve fought things that use venom before.’
The Krakenling’s golden eyes locked onto his position behind the boulders. It had traced the venom cloud back to its source. Its crimson and green tentacles raised simultaneously. The crimson tentacle superheated the water around the green tentacle’s acid, creating a cloud of boiling, corrosive steam that rolled toward Gray’s hiding spot.
He pulsed backward, 125 SPD barely carrying him out of the superheated zone. The steam scalded his bell margin as he retreated.
[-18 HP]
[BURN — 4 damage over 5 seconds]
[GRAY ASHFORD — HP: 632 / 650]
’It’s using combination attacks. That’s... actually brilliant.’
The Krakenling held its ground, six tentacles fanned out in a defensive formation. Its golden eyes tracked him with cold precision, cutting off every angle until only one path remained — straight toward it.
’Someone taught you well. Or you learned the hard way.’
He circled the clearing, staying just outside the range of its tentacles. The Krakenling rotated with him, always keeping its crimson and green tentacles facing his position. The other four tentacles hung back, waiting.
’It’s keeping the fire and acid ready because those are its area denial tools. The others are for when I get close. Impresive.’
He activated Cavitation Pulse, targeting the junction where the crimson tentacle met the mantle.
The Krakenling’s silver tentacle flashed. Its surface became mirror-bright, and the Cavitation Pulse struck the reflective surface at an angle. The superheated jet of water and crystal shrapnel deflected sideways, spraying harmlessly into the sand.
[CAVITATION PULSE — DEFLECTED]
’Reflective surface. Smart counter to projectiles.’
The Krakenling’s golden eyes gleamed with cold amusement. Its gold tentacle pulsed in a steady, hypnotic rhythm. The light washed over Gray, and his thoughts began to slow.
[HYPNOTIC LURE — RESISTED]
’Nice try.’
He shook off the effect and activated EMP Shroud. The electromagnetic pulse radiated outward, and Gray vanished from the Krakenling’s senses. Its golden eyes widened — the first sign of surprise it had shown. Its tentacles cycled rapidly, trying to compensate for the sudden sensory blackout.
Gray was already moving. He circled to the creature’s blind spot — directly behind its mantle, where none of its tentacles could reach without turning.
Abyssal Lance activated, his body compressing into a spearhead of crystalline barbs as he launched.
[ABYSSAL LANCE — 98 DAMAGE]
[CHROMATIC KRAKENLING — HP: 482 / 580]
[50% DEF PENETRATION — APPLIED]
The crystalline barbs impaled the Krakenling’s mantle from behind. The creature shrieked — a high, piercing sound that vibrated through the water. Its tentacles lashed backward, but Gray was already locked on. Grip Jaw wrapped around the base of its mantle, crushing.
[GRIP JAW — 26 DAMAGE]
[GRIP JAW — 28 DAMAGE]
[CHROMATIC KRAKENLING — HP: 428 / 580]
The Krakenling’s violet tentacle pulsed, and Gray’s senses flickered. The distorting aura interfered with his electroreception, making the creature’s position blur and shift. But Predator’s Instinct had already mapped its body.
Overcharge detonated.
[OVERCHARGE — 84 DAMAGE]
[CHROMATIC KRAKENLING — HP: 344 / 580]
[STUN — 5 SECONDS]
The Krakenling’s body locked rigid. Its tentacles went limp. Its golden eyes glazed over.
’Got you.’
He deployed Neurotoxic Drift directly into the wound where Abyssal Lance had impaled the mantle. The venom seeped through the creature’s flesh.
[NEUROTOXIC DRIFT — 19 DAMAGE]
[NEUROTOXIC DRIFT — 20 DAMAGE]
[CHROMATIC KRAKENLING — HP: 305 / 580]
The stun broke. The Krakenling thrashed, its tentacles lashing in every direction. The crimson and green tentacles fired blindly, superheated acid spraying across the clearing. The blue-white tentacle discharged electricity in uncontrolled arcs. The creature was panicking.
Gray held on, his Grip Jaw locking tighter while Cavitation Pulse blasted point-blank into the open wound.
[CAVITATION PULSE — 52 DAMAGE]
[CHROMATIC KRAKENLING — HP: 253 / 580]
The Krakenling’s movements weakened, its golden eyes flickering as cold intelligence gave way to fear.
’Intelligence only matters if you can kill with it.’
One final Overcharge. The electricity surged through the wound and into the creature’s core.
[OVERCHARGE — 86 DAMAGE]
[CHROMATIC KRAKENLING — HP: 167 / 580]
The Krakenling’s tentacles drooped. Its mantle went slack.
’It’s over. Just give up.’
But the Krakenling didn’t give up.
Its silver tentacle, still functional, suddenly lashed toward Gray and grabbed him. The reflective surface wrapped around his bell, and before he could react, the creature yanked him off its mantle and hurled him across the clearing.
[-22 HP]
[GRAY ASHFORD — HP: 610 / 650]
He caught himself against a volcanic boulder, his crystalline armor sparking from the impact. The Krakenling was already retreating — its damaged mantle pulsing weakly, its tentacles dragging through the sand. It was fleeing.
’You think I’m letting you escape?’
Abyssal Lance came off cooldown. He launched.
The Krakenling was halfway into the crevice when the crystalline barbs impaled its mantle for the second time. The creature screamed a thin, reedy sound and its tentacles lashed weakly at the stone.
[ABYSSAL LANCE — 100 DAMAGE]
[CHROMATIC KRAKENLING — HP: 67 / 580]
Grip Jaw locked on. Overcharge detonated one final time.
[OVERCHARGE — 84 DAMAGE]
[CHROMATIC KRAKENLING — HP: 0 / 580]
[CHROMATIC KRAKENLING DEFEATED — 920 EXP]
The Krakenling’s golden eyes flickered once, twice — then went dark. Its six colored tentacles went limp, their elemental energies fading into the cold abyssal water.
Gray released his grip and let the corpse drift to the sand.
’Huff... huff... that was... actually hard.’
[TRAIT FRAGMENT ACQUIRED: "Elemental Resistance" (2/5)]
[TRAIT FRAGMENT ACQUIRED: "Elemental Resistance" (3/5)]
[DOUBLE FRAGMENT DROP!]
[LUK 20 — Bonus fragment acquired!]
Gray stared at the notification.
’Two fragments at once? Luck 20, I love you. I absolutely love you.’
[LEVEL UP!]
[You are now Level 26.]
[10 Stat Points available for distribution.]
[2 Skill Points available.]
He absorbed the Krakenling’s corpse slowly, savoring the complex blend of flavors — spicy crimson, tangy green, metallic blue-white. The wounds on his bell were already beginning to seal, his crystalline armor self-repairing as the biomass integrated into his body.
’Alright. Stat allocation.’
He put five into SPD, three into ATK, and two into DEF.
[SPD: 125 → 130]
[ATK: 63 → 66]
[DEF: 61 → 63]
[HP MAX: 650 → 670]
The skill points went into Neurotoxic Drift and Cavitation Pulse.
[NEUROTOXIC DRIFT — Lv. 8 → Lv. 9]
[CAVITATION PULSE — Lv. 6 → Lv. 7]
He pulled up his status, reviewing the changes.
STATUS MENU
Name: Gray Ashford
Species: Aurelia abyssalis — Abyssal Lancer (Armored Abyssal Aurelia Variant)
Level: 26
Title: Colony Killer, Exterminator
Stats:
· HP: 610 / 670
· MP: 380 / 600
· ATK: 66
· DEF: 63
· SPD: 130
· INT: 68
· LUK: 20
Pending Traits:
· Elemental Resistance (3/5)
· Mental Fortitude (1/3)
· Obsidian Carapace (1/5)
Completed Traits (Waiting for Evolution):
· Rapid Burrowing (5/5) — Available at Lv. 30
’If I run into an adult Chromatic Kraken, I’m in serious trouble.’