Chapter 59: Stone Shell River Crab Research Progress
Lance was surprised to see the notification.
’So this research system doesn’t just analyze physical structures? Even research and guidance on a spiritual level can count as a research result?’
The scope of this Biological Research was far broader than he had ever imagined.
’What an eye-opener.’
"Yes!"
Cecilia’s reply was exceptionally loud this time, her dejected expression replaced by a renewed fighting spirit.
’I definitely can’t try to be clever again,’ she silently chided herself. ’I have to follow Senior Raven’s commands.’
’He might seem strict, but there’s an undeniable logic to every one of his decisions.’
’He’s incredible.’
’Then again...’
Cecilia stole a glance at Lance, who was checking his Bow and Arrow.
’A word like "Raven," with such obvious symbolic meaning, must just be an Adventurer’s codename.’
’I wonder what his real name is?’
Before she could dwell on it, Lance had already readied his gear. He leaped nimbly down the high slope and moved quickly toward the rock crevice.
Cecilia quickly collected her thoughts and, following Lance’s instructions, found a high and hidden thicket to hide in.
She lay prone in the grass, only her eyes visible, carefully observing the activity on the riverbank from above.
Confirming that Cecilia was well hidden, Lance took a deep breath.
His back was against the crevice’s cold stone wall. The space wasn’t wide, but it was just enough for him to maneuver, and the rocks on either side served as the strongest possible Shield.
Lance took the Hazelwood Short Bow from his back and drew a Feathered Arrow from his Quiver.
Nock, draw, aim.
TWANG!
The bowstring vibrated.
The arrow cut through the air and accurately hit a moss-covered "large rock" thirty meters away.
DING!
The arrowhead struck the hard rock shell. Although it only created a small spark before ricocheting off, the kinetic energy of the blow was enough to awaken the slumbering Demon.
With the struck Stone Shell River Crab at its center, an invisible ripple spread rapidly outward.
KRAK... KRAK...
On the once-silent riverbank, a series of rock-grinding sounds arose.
Countless pairs of eyes hidden under rock shells suddenly snapped open, revealing yellow eyes.
Immediately after, the bodies disguised as rocks began to unfurl.
Pairs of long, powerful pincers extended from beneath the rock shells.
These pincers were completely different from those of ordinary crabs. They had a strange, multi-jointed structure, with thick, spike-covered joints and tips as sharp as awls.
This unique body structure allowed them not only to perform conventional pincer attacks but also to launch swift stabs like spearmen.
More than twenty Stone Shell River Crabs awoke at once, brandishing their terrifying weapons as they swarmed towards the crevice where Lance was.
Densely packed, they looked like a surging torrent of rock.
Lance calmly put away his Short Bow, reached back to grab his Kite-shaped Steel Shield, and crouched behind it, ready for battle.
Cecilia looked at the tide-like Monster Group surging across the riverbank, then at the conspicuously solitary figure in front of the crevice.
Even though she knew her senior was very confident, her palms couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat.
’Please be careful...’
The girl bit her lip, not even daring to breathe, her eyes glued to the battlefield.
In a one-on-one fight, those Goblins—bullies to the weak and cowards to the strong—would probably be no match for these fully armored crustaceans.
But when it came to group fighting, these Stone Shell River Crabs, driven only by primitive instinct, weren’t even fit to polish a Goblin’s boots.
They had no strategy whatsoever.
The enraged mob of Stone Shell River Crabs swarmed towards the V-shaped crevice where Lance was, instantly clogging the narrow entrance.
Once the ones in front got stuck, the ones behind could only wave their pincers and shove each other in anxious frustration.
This meant that at any given time, only one or two crabs at the very front could actually attack Lance.
And that was precisely the Effect Lance wanted.
CRACK!
Along with the brittle sound of scraping carapaces, one of the crabs squeezed at the very front launched an attack.
Its pair of Mutated, multi-jointed pincers retracted sharply, a clear sign it was charging its power.
And then.
The pincer, with its sharp, cone-like tip, shot out like a heavy spear, even leaving a gray afterimage in the air.
This was the Stone Shell River Crab’s signature Skill: Heavy Armor Stab.
CLANG!!!
A deafening, teeth-grating clang exploded across the riverbank.
A shower of sparks burst from the surface of the Kite-shaped Steel Shield.
Even through the thick steel plate, Lance felt a tremendous impact, like being hit by a charging bull, travel up his arm.
His left foot slid back half an inch on the gravel, and he expertly executed a standard motion to disperse the force, just barely neutralizing the blow’s power.
’Such heavy force.’
Lance shook his slightly numb wrist, quickly making an assessment in his mind.
In terms of human Attributes, that impact would require a full-force Burst Power from someone with at least 7 or 8 points in Power to produce such an Effect.
If an Ordinary Adventurer took a hit like that, even with a Shield, their arm muscles would probably be sore for half the day.
After taking a dozen or so of those hits, their stamina bar would be empty.
But for Lance, it was little more than a slightly forceful breath.
In the instant the crab’s pincer had spent its momentum and was about to retract...
Lance’s Short Sword struck like a viper from its den.
Castro Swordsmanship.
While the crabs’ Mutated, multi-jointed arms gave them terrifying reach and Burst Power for their stabs, they also came with a fatal physiological flaw.
It was the price they paid for flexibility.
At the junction of each heavy shell segment, there was only a tough but soft, translucent membrane.
This membrane might withstand abrasion from sand and gravel, but it could never resist the precise cut of a sharp weapon.
SCHLICK.
Meeting little resistance, the thick crab pincer was severed, clattering onto the pebbles.
The intense pain instantly paralyzed the river crab’s body.
Before it could react, Lance’s second strike had already arrived.
The tip of his sword plunged into the soft flesh at the base of the eyestalk—a blind spot the carapace couldn’t cover, and a direct path to the brain.
A twist of the blade, and it was instantly killed.
[System Notification: Stone Shell River Crab Research Progress +1]
Without a moment’s pause, Lance followed through with a kick, sending the still-twitching corpse flying out of the crevice as if he were kicking a soccer ball.
The second crab that had been blocked outside immediately filled the gap, rushing forward with its pincers raised.
Then, the process repeated.
Block, deflect, sever, pierce, kick.
The entire sequence of movements was as fluid as flowing water, without any unnecessary flourish, filled with a kind of violent beauty.