And several days passed.
Gray had completed his sea urchin hunt. The [Paralytic Needle] trait was now complete, waiting for his next evolution. His EXP was just a few kills away from leveling. They were now in unfamiliar territory, far from the Verdant Hollow, moving through pale stone valleys dotted with strange purple orbs.
The orbs floated in the water, still, glowing faintly like bubbles holding their breath. No current moved them and no creatures approached. They just... hung there, like sleeping eyes.
[LOCATION DISCOVERED: THE VIOLET STILLNESS]
« Analysis »
A deep-sea valley of pale stone and motionless water, named for the violet orbs that drift in perfect silence across the seafloor.
"The longer we explore, the stranger this place becomes." Cindy said.
Gray didn’t stop swimming. His gaze swept over the purple orbs, then he said casually,
’And the stranger the place, the more likely we find strange monsters.’
"You say that like it’s a good thing."
’Because it is. Strange monsters usually have strange traits.’
Cindy huffed softly.
"Traits, traits, traits. Is that all you ever think about?"
Gray swerved around two purple orbs floating close together.
’Food, traits, levels and maybe you?’
Cindy was startled by his words and said, "That... is actually sweet, but the order is wrong."
’Whatever.’
Gray slowed when the purple orb ahead pulsed twice, slow and rhythmic, like something breathing beneath the surface.
’Cindy.’
"I feel it."
The orb peeled apart like a flower blooming in reverse. From inside, something long and pale emerged, its body Its body was thin and translucent, like a ribbon of pale flesh unspooling from the orb’s center. It had no visible eyes, but its entire form flickered with a faint violet light, casting long, wavering shadows across the stone.
[LORICATI — Level 30]
HP: 380 / 380
Threat Level: MODERATE
« Analysis »
A sessile ambush predator that disguises itself as an inert orb formation. The Loricati remains dormant for extended periods, conserving energy until prey passes within range. Once triggered, it extends a prehensile tendril lined with neurotoxic cilia to ensnare and paralyze its victim before drawing it into its central mass.
Weakness: While extended, the central orb is exposed and vulnerable. The tendril is fast but fragile, severing it leaves the creature unable to feed and forces it into a vulnerable state.
Gray didn’t wait for it to fully extend.
He fired Riptide Slash from a distance, aiming for the exposed central orb.
[RIPTIDE SLASH — 82 DAMAGE]
[LORICATI — HP: 298 / 380]
The creature let out a thin, glassy wail that vibrated through the water like a bell struck too hard. Its tendril lashed forward in retaliation, cutting through the water with unnerving speed.
Gray twisted aside. Flow State flared, and the water bent around him as the tendril whipped past his bell, missing by inches.
’Fast but fragile, like the analysis said.’
Cindy’s voice came, steady. "Gray, don’t get close. If that thing touches you—"
’I know. I’ll cut it down from here.’
He circled wide, staying out of the tendril’s reach, and fired another Riptide Slash. The crescent blade sliced clean through the extended tendril, severing it near the base.
[RIPTIDE SLASH — 88 DAMAGE]
[LORICATI — HP: 210 / 380]
[TENDRIL SEVERED — VULNERABLE STATE]
The Loricati convulsed. Its pale body writhed, leaking milky fluid into the water. The severed tendril still twitched, curling and uncurling like a dying worm.
Gray moved in.
’Now it can’t feed. Let’s finish this.’
He closed the distance and wrapped two tentacles around the central orb. Grip Jaw activated, crushing the soft, translucent flesh.
[GRIP JAW — 32 DAMAGE]
[GRIP JAW — 30 DAMAGE]
[LORICATI — HP: 148 / 380]
The creature’s shrieking intensified, a thin, desperate sound that made the remaining purple orbs pulse faintly. Gray tightened his grip.
’Not so tough when you can’t hide in your little bubble.’
He fired Cavitation Pulse point-blank. The superheated blast punched through the orb’s center, vaporizing flesh and scattering violet light into the dark water.
[CAVITATION PULSE — 64 DAMAGE]
[LORICATI — HP: 84 / 380]
The Loricati’s body collapsed inward, its light dying. Gray held on until the last twitch faded, then released it and let the corpse drift to the seafloor.
[LORICATI DEFEATED — 620 EXP]
[TRAIT FRAGMENT ACQUIRED: "Ambush Predator" (1/5)]
[New Trait Discovered!]
[AMBUSH PREDATOR — Preview]
« Analysis »
A hunting trait derived from creatures that lie in wait for their prey. Enhances the user’s ability to remain undetected while stationary and increases the damage of attacks made from stealth.
Effect at Completion:
· While stationary for 5 seconds, become 80% harder to detect.
· Attacks from stealth gain +20% bonus damage.
· Passive: +10% critical hit chance when attacking an unaware target.
’Now this... this fits me perfectly.’ Gray said, clearly pleased.
Cindy’s voice came, a little relieved.
"At least it’s over quickly. These things... they’re like traps waiting to spring."
’Yeah. Let’s be careful which orbs we pass from now on.’
He turned, scanning the valley. The remaining purple orbs hung in the dark, some pulsing faintly, others still and silent. Any one of them could be another Loricati or just a rock. The only way to know was to get close enough to find out.
’...Or we can set them off one by one and kill them from a distance.’
Cindy sighed.
"Of course. That’s exactly what a normal person would say."
’I’m not a person. I’m a jellyfish.’
"A very annoying jellyfish."
Gray drifted toward the next purple orb, stopping just outside what he estimated was its trigger range. The orb hung motionless, its surface smooth and opaque, faint violet light pulsing beneath the membrane.
’Let’s test the range.’
He picked up a small stone fragment with one tentacle and flung it toward the orb. The rock tumbled through the water, struck the surface with a dull thud, and bounced off.
The orb didn’t move.
’Hmm... not pressure-triggered or it’s already dead.’
"Or it knows we’re here and is waiting."
Gray stared at the orb for a long moment.
’Then I’ll just have to force it out.’
He charged Riptide Slash and fired. The crescent blade sliced through the water and struck the orb dead center, splitting its membrane in a burst of pale fluid.
[RIPTIDE SLASH — 84 DAMAGE]
[LORICATI — HP: 296 / 380]
The creature inside convulsed, its tendril whipping free from the shattered shell. Gray was already moving, dodging the wild, blind lashes as the Loricati’s body unfolded from its broken hiding place.
’Same as before. Cut the tendril, then kill it.’
He fired twice more in quick succession. The first blade severed the tendril cleanly. The second carved a deep gash through the central mass.
[RIPTIDE SLASH — 80 DAMAGE]
[RIPTIDE SLASH — 86 DAMAGE]
[LORICATI — HP: 130 / 380]
The creature’s shrieks grew thin and brittle. Gray closed the distance, wrapped his tentacles around the central orb, and crushed it with Grip Jaw.
[GRIP JAW — 30 DAMAGE]
[GRIP JAW — 32 DAMAGE]
[LORICATI — HP: 68 / 380]
One final Cavitation Pulse ended it.
[CAVITATION PULSE — 62 DAMAGE]
[LORICATI DEFEATED — 620 EXP]
[LEVEL UP!]
[You are now Level 34.]
[20 Stat Points available for distribution.]
[2 Skill Points available.]
Gray paused mid-swim, the familiar warmth of the level-up washing through his body.
’Hell yeah!’
He allocated the points immediately. Ten into SPD, five into ATK, three into DEF, two into LUK.
[SPD: 218 → 228]
[ATK: 118 → 123]
[DEF: 94 → 97]
[HP MAX: 980 → 1010]
[LUK: 34 → 36]
The skill points went into Riptide Slash and Flow State.
[RIPTIDE SLASH — Lv. 6 → Lv. 7]
[FLOW STATE — Lv. 4 → Lv. 5]
He absorbed the corpse and moved on. The next orb was larger, its violet light pulsing in slow, rhythmic waves. He approached cautiously, already preparing his attack.
He repeated the strategy. Riptide Slash from range, sever the tendril, close in, Grip Jaw, Cavitation Pulse. The third Loricati died as easily as the first two.
[LORICATI DEFEATED — 620 EXP]
[TRAIT FRAGMENT ACQUIRED: "Ambush Predator" (2/5)]
’Second fragment, good rate so far.’
The fourth Loricati wasn’t alone.
As Gray approached, two orbs near the valley wall pulsed simultaneously. He halted, instincts flaring.
’It’s a pair. They’re waking up together.’
"Can you handle two at once?"
’Let’s find out.’
He backed up, putting distance between himself and the twin orbs. Both had begun to peel open, long tendrils uncoiling from their centers like pale snakes rising from sleep.
Gray fired Riptide Slash at the left one, then immediately pulsed sideways as the right one’s tendril shot toward him. The attack grazed his bell, leaving a thin line of numbness.
[-14 HP]
[PARALYSIS RESISTED]
’Tch!’
He fired again, severing the right tendril before it could retract. The left Loricati was still thrashing from the first hit, its shell cracked and leaking.
’Cindy, barrier between them. Split them up.’
"On it."
A shimmering wall of light materialized between the two creatures, cutting off their line of sight to each other. Gray dove toward the wounded one, finishing it quickly with Grip Jaw and Overcharge.
[OVERCHARGE — 94 DAMAGE]
[LORICATI DEFEATED — 620 EXP]
The second Loricati slammed against the barrier in frustration, its tendril whipping uselessly against the silver-blue surface. Gray circled around, came at it from above, and destroyed its central orb with a point-blank Cavitation Pulse.
[CAVITATION PULSE — 66 DAMAGE]
[LORICATI DEFEATED — 620 EXP]
[TRAIT FRAGMENT ACQUIRED: "Ambush Predator" (3/5)]
’This place is paying off.’
Cindy’s voice came, tense. "Gray... the other orbs are all pulsing now. I think they felt the deaths."
Gray looked up. Across the valley, the remaining purple orbs had begun to glow brighter, their pulses falling into sync with each other.
The water around him began to stir.
Cindy let out a shaky breath. "I think we should run."
For once, Gray didn’t argue.
’Yeah. Let’s go.’
He turned and shot toward the valley’s exit, moving as fast as his body could carry him. Behind him, the purple orbs were opening one by one, like a minefield coming alive.
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