Aiden was, in fact, beginning to hate their new teacher.
While everyone was aware this was a D-rank monster, and not something in their range if not for its molting status, that still did not change the looks of surprise on Thalia's, Liora's, and Aiden's faces when they arrived and saw just how big it was.
The crab stood around thirty feet tall, with an ever so slightly translucent shell covered in light blue and pink splotches.
It held its large body a good ten feet out of the water and used its claws to munch on what seemed to be the carcass of a small shark it had found.
They all took a moment to look at Victor.
Victor looked at the crab, then turned back to them.
"Looks like we found the rrrrrrright one," Victor said. "Now, since this is a rrrrrrratherrrrrr larrrrrge overrrrshoot forrrrrrr yourrrrrr levels, I will come in and save you all exactly two times."
He jumped up onto a nearby rock and stretched out.
"Afterrrrrrr that, you arrrrrrre on your own."
Aiden turned to Thalia and Liora and began ruffling through his bag.
He handed each of them five healing potions, one potion of Focused Senses, one potion of Vigilance, and one potion of Shadowmeld.
"Healing potions are for if anyone gets injured," Aiden said. "I don't know if I can run back if healing is needed. I'm gonna have a lot on my hands."
He pointed to the other vials.
"The Focused Senses and Vigilance are for right now as general buffs. The Shadowmeld is for if you get in a bad spot. Drink it, find a shadow, and don't move. It should make it so the crab doesn't see you as easily and give you a chance to recover."
Thalia and Liora nodded.
They downed their two buffing potions as Aiden drank the ones he had made for himself, leaving him low on Vigilance potions and out of Focused Senses potions entirely.
He reached into his cloak and pulled out one of the vials of Liquid Crystal.
Then he checked to make sure his Clockwork Coil and new Revolution Core were working.
The technomancer at the duke's estate had helped him rig the core to activate with the Clockwork Coil and helped him install it.
Honestly, the process had been strange.
Unlike what Aiden had expected, the Revolution Core had gone into his chest like placing a ball on mud and letting it sink in.
Even now, he had to occasionally stop himself from fidgeting with it.
Aiden poured the vial of Liquid Crystal into the hatch on the right side of his chest.
He could feel the core filling up.
Fueling.
Ready.
He gave Liora and Thalia one last glance, then nodded and stepped onto the beach.
The crab seemed oblivious to their presence, preoccupied with its meal.
Liora stepped up into the air, wind spiraling beneath her feet as she ascended.
She pointed her staff.
A familiar ball of wind formed and shot toward the crab.
It struck one of the crab's legs.
The normally hard shell was no longer there to protect it, and the skin dented inward as the leg buckled underneath the crab, knocking it off balance.
However, the wind blast's normal pushing effect seemed ineffective.
The crab barely moved.
Slowly, it spun and saw them.
It raised its pincers and clacked them together.
The claws were still hard despite the rest of its body, and one sliced clean through the shark skull it was holding with a blade-like cut.
The crab's battle cry was not anything Aiden had expected.
It was not a bellowing roar.
It was a hiss.
Almost like air escaping from a small hole.
Party member Liora has used skill Soaring Rhythm (D) to create a foothold in the air.
Party member Liora has used skill Wind Blast (D).
Luminous Cobalt Crab has taken 37 damage.
Luminous Cobalt Crab has resisted the pushing effect of Wind Blast (D).
Aiden stood with his spear in hand and his stance wide.
He waited for the crab to come onto land, his hand resting on the ripcord of his Clockwork Coil, ready to get it and the Revolution Core running once he could join the fight.
Strings whipped past him.
More than usual.
Aiden turned and saw, to his surprise, that Thalia seemed to have learned a new skill.
A new double set of arms made of mana strings had woven themselves into shape behind her.
All of them lashed forward.
Best of all, the strings seemed increasingly durable as they wrapped around the nearby rocks and tied the crab down.
The crab pulled and strained.
The strings sank slightly into the soft flesh.
The rocks around the crab broke away, but Thalia grabbed the loose strings caught on the spikes at the edge of its shell and tied the crab's legs to them instead.
She caught it on its own body.
The crab staggered and struggled to move.
Party member Thalia has used skill Arachnae's Helping Hands (C).
Party member Thalia has gained two extra sets of hands with which to weave.
Party member Thalia has used skill Marionetting Fingers (D) x3.
Luminous Cobalt Crab has resisted the strings.
Luminous Cobalt Crab has resisted the strings.
Luminous Cobalt Crab has become bound and unable to move.
The power was amazing.
Combined with the fact that she now had a C-rank skill, Aiden was rather surprised by what she was able to do.
However, when he turned to congratulate her, he saw that Thalia had gone pale.
Her face showed clear symptoms of low mana.
Aiden quickly rummaged in his bag and tossed three energy potions her way.
She caught them and started uncorking them with three hands while the others held the strings out.
Her feet skidded through the sand as the crab thrashed against its bindings.
For a moment, the crab stared them down.
Then its shell shimmered.
Aiden heard what sounded like Victor slamming his paw down.
A large stone shot up from the sand.
There was a sharp sound, like the air itself had ionized.
Then the stone exploded.
Liora quickly summoned wind around herself to push away the flying debris.
Aiden stood in front of Thalia and covered his head as several stones bounced painfully off him.
The front of the rock had melted.
The air hissed with heat.
The crab stood glaring at the rock as it closed its mouth.
"That's one rrrrrrescue," Victor said casually.
Then he went back to licking his back.
Luminous Cobalt Crab has used skill Photonic Beam (D).
Ally Victor has used skill Rune Magic (E).
Runes selected were Earth, Water, Earth.
Rune Magic: Stone Shield was used.
Stone Shield has blocked 35 damage and was destroyed.
You have taken 2 damage.
"Aiden, you okay?" Liora yelled.
She fired another wind blast, moving through the air and preparing to dodge in case the crab threw something at her.
"I'm fine!" Aiden yelled back. "The shield blocked most of it!"
He turned back to Thalia.
"How are you holding up?"
"Need a moment to regain some MP," Thalia said. "It's gonna get to the beach, so you're up, Aiden."
Aiden nodded and turned back toward the water.
The plan had been simple.
Liora would blast away at the crab and try to keep it back.
Thalia would help hold it away from the shore.
Once it reached land, Aiden would hold it in place while they finished it off.
But Thalia seemed to have used her new skill too early and drained herself too fast.
So now the plan had shifted.
Aiden was coming in earlier than expected.
The crab pulled the strings free from its body and charged.
Its speed was surprising as it scurried toward them on land, water cresting around it like a wave coming into shore.
Aiden yanked the ripcord.
The sparks of the Clockwork Coil kicked in.
The Revolution Core began to hum.
With a mental command, Aiden felt the aether within begin to drain as the core spun.
A surge of power shot through his limbs.
He rushed toward the crab.
Unfortunately, he put too much power into his legs.
What had been meant as a step became a leap that launched him toward the crab's face.
A hand grabbed his collar.
Aiden gagged and fell to the ground on his back.
Liora stood over him, ready to defend while he got up.
Party member Liora has used skill Wind Blast (D).
Luminous Cobalt Crab has taken 33 damage.
Luminous Cobalt Crab has resisted the pushing effect of Wind Blast (D).
You have used items Clockwork Coil (E) and Revolution Core V2 (D).
Your Dexterity increases by 10, and your speed is increased by the Clockwork Coil (E).
The Revolution Core V2 is online.
You have shifted the Revolution Core V2 into Idling.
Your Strength and Constitution are increased by 30.
You have used item Spear of the Seven Hunts (D).
You were stopped by party member Liora.
Aiden scrambled to his feet.
The humming power in his limbs was impossible to ignore.
Inside his mind, Will recited what they had learned from the Revolution Core blueprints.
"Okay," Will said. "It has five modes. Running does nothing but consumes aether. Idling consumes one-tenth of an aether vial every six seconds and makes you stronger and more durable."
Aiden watched the crab.
"Low Gear makes us faster and hit harder, but the heat causes burns around the Revolution Core and eats through more aether. High Gear makes us even faster, but causes more severe burns and muscle strain."
Will's voice tightened.
"And lastly, Nitro gives even more strength, but causes third-degree burns and prevents unnatural healing. Stick to Low Gear for now. Save the rest for if we need it!"
Got it, Aiden thought.
He glanced back at Thalia.
She drank all three vials using the three arms on her right side.
Her left arms shot forward and yanked Aiden back just as one of the crab's claws slammed down where he had been.
Liora took to the sky again.
Aiden skidded to a stop and spun his spear, using the force to push himself left while guiding the approaching crab claw to the right.
Sand flew up from the impact.
Party member Thalia has used item Basic Energy Potion x3.
Party member Thalia has regained 9 Mana.
Party member Thalia has regained 11 Mana.
Party member Thalia has regained 8 Mana.
Party member Thalia has used skill Marionetting Fingers (D).
"I don't think I'm gonna have enough mana to take it down!" Liora yelled from above.
She fired another blast at the crab, leaving a third dent in its skin.
This time, the shot struck one of the panels on its face, making it stumble back and rub at the spot with one claw.
"Hey, wait," Will started. "I don't think that's a—"
Aiden ignored him and commanded the Revolution Core to shift to Low Gear.
The heat and pain were immediate.
Aiden hissed through his teeth.
His body felt so light he could run laps around everyone.
He dashed in a zigzag, the ground seeming to take a moment to register his footsteps as he moved back and forth, the sand bursting like a cannon struck it.
Then he jumped.
He flew twenty-five feet, grabbed the top of one of the crab's legs, and swung himself onto its head.
The top of the body was soft, like standing on a tarp full of air.
Aiden carved into the crab's head with his spear.
It let out another hiss of pain.
One of its claws snapped up to cut him.
Aiden jumped, jammed his spear into the wrist of the claw, and spun as the crab yanked its claw back.
He barely avoided falling off the head.
His body thrummed with strength and power.
You have shifted the Revolution Core V2 into Low Gear.
Your attack power has increased, and you are even faster.
You have used item Spear of the Seven Hunts (D).
You have dealt 50 damage.
Your skill Combo Star (E) has activated and granted a surge of speed.
You have used item Spear of the Seven Hunts (D).
You have dealt 56 damage.
The heat of the Revolution Core V2 deals 11 damage to you.