Ren's fear was a solid thing lodged in his throat, choking the air from his lungs.
The creature moving through the main tunnel wasn't just large—
it was a moving landscape.
The Rock Centipede, its gray chitin shell like stone forged from the cave itself, advanced with the unstoppable force of an avalanche. Hundreds of thin, bladed legs rippled in a hypnotic, horrifying wave, scraping against the ground with a constant rasp that made Ren's teeth vibrate.
Its long, segmented antennae swept the air.
Its mandibles—obsidian blades the size of short swords—opened and closed with a hollow, hungry click.
[Rock Centipede - Lv. 12]
The info panel hovered above it.
An epitaph.
For anything stupid enough to cross its path.
From the fragile safety of his crevice, Ren watched—frozen by terror.
He knew what this was.
An environmental mini-boss.
Not tied to quests. Just patrolling its territory. A hazard.
For a Level 17 party like before—
a nuisance. Good EXP.
For a Level 1 goblin—
death itself.
The Centipede stopped.
Its antennae twitched.
Testing the air.
Then—
it struck.
With shocking speed, it slammed into a crystal wall.
Scrapers shrieked.
Too late.
The mandibles snapped shut around one.
Wet crack.
Like crushing a large egg.
The Scraper's shell shattered.
The Centipede swallowed it whole.
Didn't even slow down.
Ren swallowed hard.
The bitter taste of the Scraper he'd eaten earlier crawled back into his mouth.
That's me.
That's what I am.
If I stay here—I'm next.
Fighting is death, his mind screamed. Hiding is just a slower one.
He couldn't stay in the crevice.
Sooner or later—hunger would return.
Or worse—
the Centipede would pass by.
Feel him.
He was prey.
And the predator was getting closer.
He needed a way out.
The tunnel behind him—
blocked.
The Centipede stood between him and escape.
He needed another route.
But first—
he needed to deal with the predator.
Think. Think like Zephyr. What's the play?
The panic receded.
Replaced by cold analysis.
Rock Centipede.
High physical defense.
Near poison immunity.
Weakness: concussive magic.
Don't have it.
Weak point: soft underbelly between segments.
Unreachable.
No options.
Or—
wait.
Sensors, Zephyr's memory whispered.
How does it hunt?
Poor vision.
Relies on vibration detection—ground and air—through antennae.
Vibration.
Sound.
The same trick he used on the players.
But bigger.
He couldn't throw a coin.
He needed something louder.
Bigger.
Something that would pull that monster away—
long enough to run.
His eyes scanned the cave.
Crystals.
Pulsing purple.
A memory surfaced.
Late nights. Wiki dives instead of homework.
Entry #43B: Hive Crystals.
Emit light.
Fragile.
Secondary property: when shattered by strong impact, produce high-frequency resonance due to crystalline structure.
Used by bard players for sound effects.
A lure.
He had a lure.
The plan formed.
Simple.
Terrifying.
He needed to hit a large cluster—
far from him—
draw the Centipede away.
His clawed hands searched the crevice.
Found a rock.
Fist-sized.
Heavy enough.
Now—
wait.
The Centipede was moving.
Slowly.
Toward a side tunnel.
If he acted now—
while it moved away—
go.
He slipped out.
Silent.
[Stealth] wrapped around him like a second skin.
He crouched low.
The Centipede—
thirty meters away.
Fifty meters in the opposite direction—
a massive crystal formation.
Some as tall as a man.
Target locked.
He raised his arm.
The stone felt impossibly heavy.
He aimed.
Muscle memory kicked in.
Potion throws. Knife arcs.
He released.
The rock cut through the darkness.
Silent arc.
Ren dove into the nearest crevice.
Curled tight.
Covered his head.
Impact.
Not a crash—
a PING.
Sharp.
Clear.
Piercing.
Like a glass bell ringing through the cave.
The sound vibrated through his bones.
The Centipede froze.
Instantly.
Its front half rose like a serpent.
Antennae vibrating wildly.
A hiss tore from it—
steam from a cracked boiler.
Confusion.
Rage.
Then—
it charged.
Not toward Ren.
Toward the sound.
A runaway train.
It slammed into the crystal wall.
Glass shattered.
Stone cracked.
The cave roared.
The Centipede tore into the formation, mandibles ripping, enraged at the source of the "attack."
That was his chance.
Ren moved.
No hesitation.
Out of the crevice.
Running.
Opposite direction.
Toward the side tunnel the Centipede had been heading for.
Destruction behind him—
cover.
He dove into the narrow passage.
Ran.
Didn't look back.
His crooked legs pushed faster than he thought possible.
The sounds of the monster faded.
Replaced by—
his breath.
His footsteps.
Silence.
Finally—
he collapsed.
Slid across the stone.
Stopped.
Safe.
For now.
He stood slowly.
Body shaking.
The tunnel was different.
No crystals.
Bare rock.
And on the ground—
something else.
Purple dust.
Same as before.
But thicker.
Denser.
Almost like a deposit.
Faint glow in the dark.
Curiosity cut through fear.
He crouched.
Extended a trembling finger.
Touched it.
Cold.
And the moment contact was made—
a new system window appeared.
One he had never seen before.
The text—
disturbingly purple.
[Anomaly Detected. Absorbing traces of Corrupted Mana.]
[Analyzing… 1%…]