Kapitel 196: Castle little moon (4)
Whatever, the carriers are eliminated too and the training grounds are unchallenged for now. The skeleton knights have already returned to sparring amongst one another within the marked area on the dungeon map.
The fallen ones are also replaced by new ones appearing out of thin air inside a set of coffins by the side of the training rooms.
I return to the castle halls and slither my way to the closest group that happens to be walking in my direction.
Judging by how fast they make any monsters they meet disappear, they should be somewhat stronger than the group I just took out. Combining that with the glowing blue four imprinted on all of them they seem to be a team that's a serious threat to this dungeon.
Four represents the strongest of the four targeted knights, right?
<That would be correct. Though the number does not necessarily relate to the difficulty of getting the sigil. The first knight's prerequisite challenge of the other skeleton knights for example does not count towards his order among the four knights.>
Still, this fight is going to be bloody.
I hide behind a corner at an intersection and wait for them. Since they are strong I will use every advantage I can get and launching a sneak attack is one advantage I will not shy away from.
After waiting for a while, I see that they are rather close to me now by watching them through the dungeon map. However, I can't hear their steps at all.
I open my mouth and release my venomous mist breath containing my weak sanguine venom that has reached level 9 during the previous fight.
"Guys, there's an unknown substance in the air. Hold your breaths."
I haven't been exhaling my venom for long when the adventurer team seems to have already noticed. It's not poison though so breathing it in shouldn't be their concern.
I hear a slight ruffling of clothes followed by the sound of breathing through gas masks. These guys came prepared.
"My wound just started bleeding again. The hemostatic bandage seems to have lost effect."
One of them informs the others of her discovery in a calm voice. Unlike the team before that panicked, this team manages to keep their cool.
"Everyone, check your wounds."
Quickly some members of the team respond that their wounds are bleeding as well.
"Could it be poison in the air?"
"The substance I detected was still very faint and we all immediately wore our masks. This amount shouldn't have been enough to cause such an effect."
"A curse then?"
"I can't say for sure but I think the substance in the air might be directly reacting upon contact with an open wound, the bandages can't stop it."
"If it's something in the air then we just need to deal with the source. How's everyone holding up?"
Most members answer that they are alright only the female voice that noticed the bleeding effect first gives an exasperated sigh.
"The wound is alright but with the bandages soaked they don't stabilize my leg and I can't put much weight on it. My speed will be drastically reduced and my aerial movement will be limited."
"That's alright. Stay in the back with me while the others spread out to find the source. Be careful of any traps and leave the masks on for now. We can't be sure that it isn't poison."
Two dots remain stationary and the other seven move around. One goes to each side, two to the back, and three to the front.
Of course, they just had to send the biggest team my way!
I shouldn't complain because sending the biggest team in the direction you haven't come from makes sense but still...
My best chance is a sneak attack at full power to take out as much of the vanguard as possible before the others arrive. Thanks to the gas masks they are now wearing, I can hear their breathing and wait until they are as close as possible to the corner.
I activate my sanguine boost and round the corner. My stats shoot up as my blood churns with a frightening intensity. My first glance at the enemy reveals a guardian and two club wielders?
<Those are crushers, an advanced class of swordsmen that use blunt weapons. They are rare but in dungeons that are known to only contain skeletons, they are quite popular. Their blunt crushing force has proved to be very effective against all kinds of skeletal enemies.>
Both sides awkwardly stare at one another and I completely forget about my intention to charge. They look quite surprised to see something non-unalive in this castle.
I snap out of my momentary stupor and resume my slithering charge. I go for one of the crushers since the guardian is an advanced class of the shield-bearer and I won't be able to take him down anytime soon.
The crusher I'm aiming for is caught up in his stupor for a moment too long and when he's just starting to raise his metal club I am already sinking my fangs into him.
As I suspected before, my fangs cannot be stopped by the leather armor the crusher is wearing. I can hear the bones in his shoulder crack under the force of my bite. The half-raised club drops to the ground and he screams.
I use his shoulder as leverage to wind myself around him. My body isn't as slender as it used to be and wrapping around him proves a bit challenging. In return, I can feel that the constricting force is on another level.
<A crusher being crushed, how ironic.>
Ultimately, my element of surprise runs out and the other adventurers begin to react. The guardian draws a sword and attempts to rush over but his heavy armor encumbers him too much. The other crusher grabs his metal club with both hands and leaps at me as he swings overhead.
I use blood-stealing constriction and brace for the hit.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein