Chapter 24: Knight Rederic
Meanwhile, while Wallace stood before the knights with a flabbergasted expression, he never expected the deep impact his mention of 'Facehuggers' would have on them.
Their faces twisted into exaggerated expressions of horror and despair, showing a glimpse of the unimaginable challenges they must be facing within the depths of this dangerous gaming dungeon.
Maybe, he thought, when those Facehuggers stuck to their faces and inserted hard, thick and long tubes into their mouths, every part of their being was overwhelmed by the frightening sensation.
A surge of determination ran through Wallace's veins as an idea took hold in his mind.
Tomorrow, once he had the chance to join this risky game, he promised himself that he would never let these Facehuggers take his life and let himself be inserted in the mouth.
He would fight with all his strength and cunning to avoid their deadly embrace.
In the middle of his thoughts, something caught Wallace's attention, causing him to stop.
"Wait," he said, his voice cutting through the mental pain that still affected Alistair, Cedric, Eldric, Gideon, Ivander, Jasper, and Mage Marcus.
Their tortured gazes turned towards him, their eyes reflecting humiliation and hope that Wallace would change the topic.
"Where is your other companion? I thought there were eight of you," Wallace asked, the tone of his voice filled with curiosity.
…
Deep in the forest, the young Vamstroja found himself surrounded by a tangled bunch of deceased bodies of giant weasels.
With a serious look on his face, he sat among the creatures, his ears perked up, and his eyes tightly closed.
The air was thick as he relied on his heightened senses to detect any immediate danger.
Suddenly, a faint sound broke the silence, causing Vamstroja to spring into action.
Swoof!
Quickly, he moved to the side, his knife shining in the dim light as he cut through the unseen threat with accuracy.
The room filled with a loud "Kachak!" as the blade hit its mark.
A high-pitched voice, filled with agony, echoed through the air, sending shivers down Vamstroja's spine.
"Kichiyaaarrrkkk!" it cried out, the sound instilling a chilling wave of fear in him.
Opening his eyes, he saw the creature sprawled in front of him, cut in half. Its segmented body, long limbs, and a strange head that looked like a twisted mix of spider, scorpion, and octopus features left a haunting impression.
The unsettling appearance of the creature gripped Vamstroja's heart, but he didn't waste any time.
With a flick of his wrist, he threw away the grotesque creature, not using his hand or knife, but the severed part of one of the deceased weasels' body below.
As the spider-like creature landed on the nearby grass, a strange phenomenon unfolded before his eyes—the grass melted away, hidden by billowing smoke.
Shhhhhh…
Vamstroja closed his eyes once again, his senses alert to his surroundings. Sensing no further immediate danger, he finally let out a breath he had been holding.
"What kind of creature is this?" he muttered, his tone of voice filled with a mix of curiosity, relief and sigh.
Fatigue washed over him, causing him to stumble backward, purposely landing among the lifeless bodies of the weasels.
Looking up at the sky, he thought of his companions, he spoke with gratitude in his voice, "Luckily, Gideon warned me about this. If it weren't for his guidance to get this knife, I would never have been able to slay such dangerous numbers of creatures. How many ranks will I climb in this gaming dungeon if I get out now?"
Rederic was always known for being serious, but now he faced a new and challenging situation in this Gaming Dungeon of Wallace.
When they first discovered that they could live even if they died in this dungeon of Baron, the others became relaxed.
But not him. Because of that, he defeated several creatures, including pack animals, and especially the one that he had a vendetta against—the Facehuggers, a creature that had humiliated him before.
As he looked at the lifeless Facehugger in front of him, he couldn't help but feel a bit worried.
The creature's blood was very acidic, which posed a big problem for Rederic. If it touched his pale skin, it would dissolve his skin, and he wouldn't be able to absorb it and use it to level up.
He thought about his predicament and quietly asked himself, "How can I absorb this Facehugger when its blood can melt my skin with just one touch?"
Shaking his head, he made up his mind and said, "I need to find creatures that are stronger than me, ones that are more powerful. Maybe there are still some around in this forest…"
With hope in his heart, Rederic ventured into dangerous lands, optimistic that he would discover powerful creatures to absorb.
In a quiet grove, old trees reached towards the sky, their twisted branches resembling gnarled fingers. The air was heavy with mystery, as if nature itself held its breath.
Shadows danced beneath the trees, hiding potential dangers. Rederic proceeded cautiously, his senses sharpened, fully aware that danger could appear from any direction.
Next, Rederic faced a hazardous ravine covered in swirling mist, hiding the rugged cliffs. The air was damp, making each breath a struggle.
Sharp rocks jutted out from the ground like menacing teeth, ready to harm the unwary. With his heart pounding, Rederic carefully navigated the dangerous terrain, hindered by the mist's obscuring shroud.
Finally, deep within the forest, Rederic stumbled upon an ancient hollow—a natural cavern in the earth. The air inside was cool and serene, his footsteps echoing in the darkness.
Moss and lichen adorned the walls, weaving intricate patterns that appeared to recount forgotten stories of the forest's past. Holding his weapon firmly, Rederic surveyed his surroundings, prepared to confront the mysterious secrets hidden within the hollow's depths.
Despite encountering creatures of varying strength, Rederic found them all to be weak opponents or as strong as him but he couldn't absorb, forcing him to abandon his quest for blood.
However, as soon as the idea of simply leaving it alone crossed his mind, Rederic's eyes widened in disbelief.
Right before him, a creature emerged from the shadows, its shape eerily similar to the feared Facehugger. But this was no ordinary horror.
Perched on top of its head was [ Facehugger V1. ]
Alabel that somehow sent chills down Rederic's spine for a second due to its level too.
[ Level 10. ]
Yet, Rederic remained resolute, but he stopped. He chose not to attack, fully aware that even if he managed to defeat this formidable opponent, absorbing its essence would be pointless.
"It's not attacking me?" he mumbled, as if he had noticed that the creature that normally attacked was avoiding him, even though he could clearly sense that it saw him.
However, fate had different intentions. Rederic suddenly lunged toward the creature with incredible speed, his knife cutting through the air with a menacing sound.
Swoosh!
"Screw it!"
Rederic cursed, his voice filled with the desire to... whatever, I'll kill it. There was no time for doubt or fear. He wanted to know if this creature could help him level up his rank to nine.
After all, it looked different. And maybe, unlike the other facehuggers, he could absorb the blood of this creature.
With reflexes sharpened by numerous battles, he raised his knife, prepared to dig deep into the top of the tentacle arachnid monster.
Clang!
The creature swirled. It had noticed his intentions and lunged forward to attack as well.
The clash was brutal, a collision of opposing forces. But in that single moment of impact, the blade that had been firmly in Rederic's grip shattered into countless pieces.
Crackles!
Not long after that, darkness enveloped him, swallowing his whole face!
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone