Chapter 11: The Cave
Before Kai arrived at the campsite, he already knew what was going to happen. From being used as a meat shield to being left as bait, it was all part of his plan. In the future, he had seen someone else in his position—a porter who had died after being tricked by the mercenaries. Kai intended to turn that knowledge to his advantage.
They entered the cave cautiously, moving as one unit. The atmosphere was thick with tension, and the air was cold and damp. Kai followed closely, his heart pounding in his chest. The walls of the cave seemed to close in around them, creating an oppressive feeling.
"Stay close," Martin instructed, his voice low. "This place is full of dangers."
Kai nodded, gripping his weapon tightly. They soon encountered small mobs of goblin-like creatures. The five-man squad fought with precision and efficiency, dispatching the creatures with ease. Kai stayed back, watching and learning, his heart racing with adrenaline.
"Don't stray too far," Martin warned Kai as they cleared another group of enemies. "We need to stay together."
Kai nodded, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. They pressed deeper into the cave, the walls closing in around them.
"Here," Martin said, pointing to a small alcove. "Kai, stay here and guard our rear. We'll check ahead."
Kai hesitated but did as he was told, watching as the squad moved forward. He could hear their footsteps fading into the distance. The silence that followed was eerie.
Suddenly, the ground beneath him rumbled. A massive troll emerged from the shadows, its eyes glowing with malice. Kai's heart raced as he realized he had been left as bait.
The troll roared and charged at him. Kai braced himself, but before the troll could reach him, a giant anaconda burst from the ground, its massive jaws closing around the troll. The force of the attack sent Kai flying across the cavern, slamming him into a wall. He crumpled to the ground, barely conscious.
"I'll pretend to be dead," Kai thought, forcing himself to remain still.
The anaconda turned its attention to the rest of the squad. Kai watched through half-closed eyes as the five-man squad faced off against the monstrous creature. They fought valiantly, but the anaconda was too powerful.
Martin was the first to charge, his shield raised high. "Hold the line!" he shouted, swinging his sword at the anaconda's thick hide. His blade barely scratched the surface, but he pressed on, aiming for its eyes.
Ethan stood behind Martin, his bowstring taut. "Take this!" he yelled, releasing arrow after arrow. Each one struck the anaconda with pinpoint accuracy. "Focus on its eyes!" he yelled, trying to distract the creature.
Lydia began casting spells, her staff glowing with an ethereal light. She summoned a torrent of fire. "Burn, you beast!" she cried, aiming at the anaconda's head. The flames licked at its scales, but the beast seemed unfazed. "It's not working!" she cried, her voice tinged with panic.
Derek, the Fighter, moved in next, his sword flashing in the dim light. "Come on, you ugly snake!" He swung with all his might, aiming for the anaconda's vulnerable spots. "We need to find a weak point!" he shouted, dodging a swipe from the creature's tail.
Sienna, the Assassin, darted in and out of the shadows, her daggers glinting. She aimed for the anaconda's underbelly, trying to find a chink in its armor. "Keep it distracted!" she called, her movements swift and precise.
Despite their efforts, the anaconda was relentless. It snapped at Martin, its jaws closing around his shield and crushing it. "Ahhh!" Martin was thrown against the wall, his body crumpling upon impact. "No!" Ethan screamed, firing more arrows in a desperate attempt to save his comrade.
Lydia's spells grew more frantic, her voice shaking. "Barrier of Light!" She tried to summon a barrier, but the creature smashed through it with ease. "Derek, look out!" she screamed as the anaconda turned its attention to him.
Derek attempted to draw its attention, swinging his sword wildly. "Over here, you big snake!" But the anaconda was too fast. It coiled around him, squeezing the life out of him. "I... can't... breathe!" he gasped.
Sienna's movements became more erratic as she tried to avoid the anaconda's strikes. "Hang on, Derek!" She managed to land a few hits, but it wasn't enough. The creature caught her with a swift swipe of its tail, sending her flying across the cavern. "Ahhh!" She hit the ground hard, her daggers clattering away.
Ethan was the last to fall, his arrows depleted. He drew a dagger and charged at the anaconda, a fierce determination in his eyes. "For Martin!" he yelled, plunging the blade into the creature's side. The anaconda roared in pain, but it was too late. It struck Ethan with its massive head, crushing him against the wall. "Urgh!" Ethan grunted as he slumped to the ground.
Kai watched the mercenaries fall one by one. He knew he had to act fast. While the anaconda was distracted, he crawled toward the back of the cave, where he knew from his knowledge Symon would find the rare medicine. The anaconda's lair was filled with skeletons of humans, animals, and even monsters, but Kai focused on one thing, finding the super-rare medicine.
From the future knowledge, Kai had seen another porter who had once taken on this mission only to die because of the mercenaries' betrayal. He remembered seeing Symon run during the chaos, finding refuge in an anaconda lair by sheer luck. Symon had stumbled upon a pond within the lair, surrounded by skeletons. Driven by hunger and desperation, Symon had drunk from the pond despite the eerie surroundings. There, he had found a rare, pristine flower growing in the middle of the pond. Starving, he had eaten the flower without hesitation.
After eating the flower, Symon's rank went up from mid-tier warrior to low-tier elite. Ranking up to the same level as the anaconda, however, wouldn't have helped him in a direct fight. Luckily, the anaconda was severely injured from battling the mercenaries. Seizing the opportunity, Symon had sneaked up on the exhausted creature and delivered his most powerful attack, killing it with a single blow.
Due to this incident, Symon had gained fame and become more arrogant. At the academy, he had quickly risen to the top ranks, maintaining the number one spot for half a semester until the protagonist caught up and took his place. Driven by jealousy and anger, Symon had plotted to kill the protagonist during an exam, but instead, he had met his end at the protagonist's hands.
Kai reached the back of the cave, where a faint glow caught his eye. Among the bones and debris, a rare flower with shimmering petals stood out. "There it is," he thought, his heart pounding. He reached out and carefully plucked the flower, feeling its power pulse through his fingertips.
With the flower securely in his grasp, Kai turned to leave the lair.
Just then, the system chimed in.
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Quest: Kill the anaconda
Reward: One 3-star skill book
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"Now?" he questioned.
"System, can I beat the anaconda?" he asked.
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Based on calculations, the anaconda's rank is higher than the host's rank. The anaconda is a mid-tier elite while the host is a high-tier warrior. Even with the help of "System Control Battle Mode," there is only a 5% chance of winning. Not recommended.
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"Damn, so I can't fight it head-on," Kai muttered. "I need to be smart about this."
He then remembered he could level up one of his attributes.
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Status
Name: Kai Ember
Title: The Progenitor of Vampires
Rank: High Tier Warrior
Attribute Points: 5/5
Vigor: High Tier Warrior
Mind: High Tier Warrior
Endurance: High Tier Warrior
Strength: High Tier Warrior
Dexterity: High Tier Warrior
Intelligence: High Tier Warrior
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"I'll upgrade Strength," Kai decided.
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Status
Name: Kai Ember
Title: The Progenitor of Vampires
Rank: High Tier Warrior
Attribute Points: 0/5
Vigor: High Tier Warrior
Mind: High Tier Warrior
Endurance: High Tier Warrior
Strength: Low Tier Elite
Dexterity: High Tier Warrior
Intelligence: High Tier Warrior
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Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone