Mririk Electric Eel Hunt (3)
“Wayne! You mean to use the frog’s poison right now?”
The dwarves exchanged glances at Wayne’s words.
“That’s right. In this river, the only things that can live alongside Mririk unharmed are small fish and those poison frogs. You get what that means, don’t you?”
“So Mririk fears the frog monsters.”
“Exactly, Lady Sabina. Those frog monsters are only E-rank and just two meters tall, but their backs are coated in venom potent enough to kill even large beasts if they eat them. Of course, monsters immune to the poison would eat them, but the fact that Mririk doesn’t means it’s not immune.”
Brock explained.
“Wayne! But how do you plan to use those frog monsters?”
“We coat arrows with the frog poison and shoot them.”
Sabina flashed a bright smile. At last, her chance to shine had come.
“So you three musketeers gather as much frog poison as you can!”
“Three musketeers? You mean us?”
Yond, Barak, and Ajul looked at one another.
“Yeah, I’ll call you the Three Musketeers from now on.”
“Got it. The Three Musketeers will handle the frog poison!”
“Let’s smash all the frogs that messed with us yesterday!”
“Ooh! Valhalla!”
The Three Musketeers seemed thrilled at the prospect of revenge.
“And the three of us will catch some bait it’ll love. That’ll wrap up the prep.”
Wayne’s group split into two teams and scattered.
C-rank monster, Terragirafe. It had a massive body with long legs for incredible speed, and it was clever enough to flee when at a disadvantage. Aside from its huge mouth, sharp teeth, and the large horn on its head, it didn’t have many ways to attack.
“Charge! Steel Golem of the warrior!”
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Brock and the Steel Golem charged at a Terragirafe separated from its herd.
“Kwaaak!”
Not one to back down despite its size, the beast stood its ground.
“Rush in!”
The Steel Golem swung its axe as it barreled forward. The Terragirafe countered by thrusting its horn, and in an instant, the monster and golem locked into a brutal contest of strength.
That was when Brock dashed in, slamming his axe into the beast’s front leg.
Crack!
“Kweok!”
The dwarf’s strike didn’t do massive damage, but it tore flesh and drew blood. The beast’s eyes turned red with rage as it lunged to devour the puny dwarf, but the Steel Golem swung a fist to block its head.
Realizing it was losing, the Terragirafe backed off and bolted.
Artemis, waiting midway, loosed an arrow.
Whoosh!Splat!
The 3.5-meter arrow grazed past it and embedded in a tree, forcing the Terragirafe to veer sharply left. With the Steel Golem and Artemis in pursuit, it ramped up its speed.
As it passed a massive tree, something black hurtled from ahead.
Boom!
The Terragirafe crumpled from a single massive flail strike to the head.
“Wayne! It’s not dead, is it?”
“Nah, its belly’s still moving.”
Fortunately, it was still breathing. Wayne gripped its horn with Predator and snapped it off. He smashed all its teeth with the flail, looped rope around its neck, bound its legs tight, and dragged it to the riverbank.
The dwarf Three Musketeers had already returned with poison in a large vat.
“We got the poison!”
“Killed 118 frogs!”
“Dwarves got revenge!”
118 frogs had yielded only two-thirds of a two-liter vat. That said plenty about the poison’s potency.
“Why not feed this poison to the monster and leave it by the water? Mririk might eat it and die.”
Sabina suggested. But Wayne shook his head.
“The poison scent might tip it off, or it could spread into the water. Plus, it might not eat a dead one, so better to keep the bait alive for now.”
“Fair point.”
If the goal was just killing Mririk, they might’ve tried her way. But the real aim was for Wayne to absorb its white Odd. He had to be there when it died, or the Odd would dissipate into the air or water.
“Reinforce the bindings once more, and everyone get ready to pull!”
The Steel Golem grabbed the end of the rope binding the monster and positioned itself 100 meters back.
“Pull when I signal!”
“Got it, Wayne!”
The stunned beast began to twitch awake. But with its legs bound, it couldn’t stand. Without its horn or teeth, it couldn’t snap the tough rope made from A-rank monster sinew either.
“Kwaaaaa!”
It bellowed loudly, calling for its herd. But they were too far off—any help would arrive too late.
Something dark was already approaching from the water. As expected, Mririk was cautious. It slowed as it neared the prey, poking its head out slightly and emitting white Odd to scan the surroundings.
It could sense lifeforms through its magnetic field. Deeming nothing but food nearby, it crept closer to the Terragirafe, first lifting its head above water before wrapping its body around the beast on the bank.
Crackle! Zap zap zap!
“Kweeeeeek!”
The Terragirafe shuddered violently. Confirming the electrocution, Mririk gaped its jaws and crunched into the beast’s gut, shaking it viciously.
“Golems! Pull!”
“Pull!”
“Give it all you got! Valhalla!”
The four massive 10-meter Steel Golems yanked the rope. The Terragirafe was hauled onto land in a flash. Mririk clamped down harder to hold its meal, but the pull was too strong—it was dragged over 50 meters onto shore, nearly fully exposed.
Shiiiing!Thunk!
“Kuok!”
The arrow from Artemis 80 meters back struck true. But Mririk didn’t release its bite. Was its hunger that fierce?
Whoosh!Thunk!
The next arrow hit the body precisely. It sank only a meter deep, but the frog poison on the tip would spread through its nerves.
That was when Mririk twisted, coiling around the prey and rope.
Crackle zap!
Wayne shouted, but it was too late. Yond, 30 meters from the rope, suddenly convulsed. His Steel Golem released the rope, charged, and kicked him flying. Yond crashed and twitched—he’d survive, but his golem toppled forward as Odd supply cut off.
With only three golems left, Mririk powered backward, dragging the bait toward the water. The other dwarves, having seen Yond electrocuted, had retreated 60 meters—insufficient for max output.
Shing!Thunk! Thunk!
“Kuok!”
Artemis fired more poison arrows in rapid succession. Mririk still didn’t fall.
Damn, immune to frog poison?
Another arrow struck, but it merely twitched.
Ten arrows spent in seconds. A meter’s depth wasn’t enough for a kill shot. Still, it was weakening more—the poison was working, if slowly.
As Mririk writhed and began slipping back into the water, Wayne knew they couldn’t let it escape.
This chance won’t come again...
Wayne’s eyes blazed with intense green Odd eyes. He hefted his flail and advanced Predator. Distance: barely 50 meters. He closed slowly.
Then Mririk’s eyes locked on the approaching Predator.
Crack!Zap zap zap!
“Grrraaah!”
Wayne’s fur stood on end as electricity jolted through him—like a 220V shock. He couldn’t even scream properly, just trembled. And that was without direct contact. Touching Mririk would’ve roasted him instantly.
Whirrr!Thud thud thud!
As the electricity paused, Wayne bolted forward. No desire for another zap, just smash its skull with the flail.
Predator closed to 10 meters when Wayne spotted the tail whipping toward him. Direct hit meant instant barbecue.
He abandoned the attack, leaping aside.
Thud!Zap zap zap!
“Ughhh!”
The tail hit ground, sparks flying. Seven meters away, and Wayne smelled his own singed hair.
“Huff huff!”
He felt like he’d brushed Valhalla and returned. Fortunately, the electric attack stopped. Predator rose, flail in hand.
“What the—?”
Oddly, Mririk unclamped its jaws, turned, and tried fleeing to the water. Clearly, it couldn’t generate electricity anymore.
Predator dropped the flail and seized the tail with both hands. But a 2nd-class Gigant’s strength couldn’t halt it alone.
Thud thud thud thud!
Artemis rushed ahead, cutting it off. The beast gaped to bite her leg. Artemis’s four arms flexed.
Shing! Clang clang shing!
Four blades ejected from her forearms.
Slash! Slash slash slash!
Artemis stabbed relentlessly at its face with 1.5-meter blades. Meanwhile, the dwarves’ Steel Golems closed in.
“Kill it!”
“Avenge Yond!”
“Dwarves are strong! Valhalla!”
Brock and the dwarves swarmed with their Steel Golems, hacking with axes, smashing with hammers. The beast’s movements slowed dramatically.
Wayne released the tail, grabbed the flail, and circled to its head.
The dwarves and Artemis retreated. Predator raised the flail high over Mririk’s head. It was still alive, eyes blinking. Just four meters more, and it would’ve reached the water...
“Electric eel, time to end this!”
Whoosh!Splat!
The flail crushed Mririk’s forehead with a dull thud. As it died, a white light surged from its head into Wayne’s view. He thrust out Predator’s hand. The beast’s memories and white Odd rushed up the arm into his body.
Despite all that discharge, a substantial amount of white Odd was absorbed.
“Wayne! What’re you doing?”
“Praying for the monster?”
Yond staggered up from behind with his golem, regaining consciousness.
“Whoa! I nearly hit Valhalla back there!”
His hair and beard were charred black, but the golem’s aid had saved him.
“Ack!”
Yond froze mid-step, gaping and pointing. A black head emerged from the river, glaring. Another Mririk bit Predator’s leg and yanked it into the depths.
The riverbank fell silent.
Thanks for coming right to me!
Wayne had sensed the second Mririk when it surfaced. He let it drag him in deliberately. Predator could operate submerged for five minutes.
Mririk coiled around Predator, unleashing high-voltage electricity.
Zap zap zap zap!
Sorry, but I’ve already absorbed your white Odd!
The white Odd shielded Wayne from the attack. Now things were even.
“I’ll take your white Odd too!”
Predator drew a dagger from its waist.