Chapter 61: The Final Blow
Upon seeing the colossus completely immobilized, the tension in the air dissolved all at once. The hunters, exhausted and covered in snow and blood, couldn’t hold back their smiles. It was finally over; they had done it. Without breaking tribe tradition, they pressed their fists against their chests, raised their eyes toward the frozen sky, and offered a deep bow in silence to thank the Bear God and their ancestors for the victory.
Krag took a deep breath and turned his head toward Kellar, who stood nearby watching the trapped creature.
"The brat made massive contributions," thought Krag as he studied him. "Now I understand how he hunts alone with that girl. He’s a good strategist, he thinks different from us. Today, without his help, we could have only prayed."
Krag stepped forward and pointed at the mallet Kellar was holding in his hands.
"You’ve earned it, land the final blow," said Krag. "This kill is yours."
Kellar took a step back, waving his hands feigning humility.
"No, that’s not necessary," said Kellar. "I really didn’t do anything. I just ran and dodged around while you put your bodies and strength on the line."
"Don’t speak nonsense, kid!" said Marty, letting out a scratchy laugh. "If you hadn’t shouted how to do the anchor and the feint, we’d all be inside this lizard’s stomach by now."
"Without your commands, we would have died in the first three minutes," said Krag in a firm voice, placing a hand on Kellar’s shoulder. "It was your strategy that saved us. Accept the honor."
After a moment of calculated hesitation, Kellar nodded slowly.
"Alright, thank you," said Kellar.
Kellar unsheathed the ceremonial dagger at his waist and stepped up to the monster’s exposed belly. The crocodile, trapped belly-up with its ventral scales creased, emitted a faint hiss. Kellar scanned for the softest spot in the abdomen’s hide and drove the dagger in with full force. The blade pierced the flesh, cutting through thick fat and blood. Sinking the edge with both hands, he carved upward, opening a bloody tear through which he reached his arm in up to the chest cavity, puncturing the beast’s heart.
The colossus convulsed in one last agonizing spasm before going completely still.
At that exact moment, the floating screen flashed before his eyes:
[Quest Completed: Timely "Help"!]
[Rewards Delivered: +10 Strength, +2 Tech Points +random technology.]
[Random Technology Wheel Activated]
A glowing wheel surfaced before his eyes, packed with options that began spinning at a dizzying speed. Kellar watched the names blur past: Advanced Agriculture, Advanced Livestock, Laser Engraving Station, and even Nuclear Bomb Manufacturing.
Seeing such a vast array of possibilities, Kellar didn’t even know which god to pray to; every single option represented a evolutionary leap for his survival and the tribe’s. Everything was necessary.
After spinning for a few agonizing seconds, the wheel began to slow down until it came to a complete halt on a single word:
[Technology Acquired: Alchemy]
Description: Grants the accumulated knowledge of ancient and future chemical combinations.
Passive Effect: Allows the user to mentally simulate elemental combinations to preview the exact outcome.
Restriction: Materials or elements that the user has not discovered or handled cannot be simulated. It does not reveal pre-existing formulas; every combination must be unlocked one by one through experimentation.
A torrent of information flooded Kellar’s mind, organizing concepts of reactions, states of matter, and chemical properties into his brain. While the restriction prevented him from creating magical solutions out of thin air, the ability to test combinations in his mind without wasting real resources was a monstrous tool.
Kellar couldn’t help a grin of satisfaction as he processed the new information in his head.
"This is awesome, I love it! Damn, I actually have it right here," thought Kellar with excitement.
A thought crossed his mind: gunpowder. If he remembered correctly from his past life, the basic mixture was made with charcoal, sulfur, and potassium nitrate. The moment he began mentally reconstructing the ratio of ingredients, a new system notification flashed before his eyes:
[Formula Detected: Black Powder!]
Status: Added to the mental synthesis list.
Kellar froze for a second before letting out a silent laugh. He had found a loophole in the skill’s rules. The system’s restriction stated that it wouldn’t give him pre-existing formulas on its own, but it said nothing about formulas he already knew himself. By simply recalling the components from his previous world, the system validated the recipe, allowing him to simulate it without having to go through trial and error.
Kellar analyzed the list of components for the black powder he had just registered. Charcoal was easy to obtain; burning wood without oxygen in any of the tribe’s hearths would suffice. The real issue lay with the other two ingredients: sulfur and potassium nitrate.
"Where the hell am I going to find sulfur and saltpeter in this frozen region?" thought Kellar, frowning as he scanned the snow-covered landscape.
brush along the river. The idea of searching for inhabited caves or starting to collect organic waste back at the settlement wasn’t impossible, but it would take time and exploration. Nevertheless, knowing what to look for in nature gave him a edge. He only needed to lay hands on the raw materials once for his skill to handle the rest.
As Kellar finished mulling over the possibilities in his mind, a new translucent interface flashed before his eyes, cutting off his thoughts.
[Passive Skill: Beast Reaping Activated!]
Suddenly, a massive surge of vital energy erupted from the Great Crocodile’s carcass and struck Kellar square in the chest. He felt a scalding current course through every one of his spiritual channels, filling his body to the brim with such absurd density that for a second he felt his muscles and skin swell under the pressure. Kellar bit his lip, holding his breath as he digested the violent torrent of energy.
Two consecutive notifications echoed in his mind:
[Due to the power disparity between the user and the prey, a special bonus is granted]
[Reward Granted: +15 Strength]