Chapter 4: Survival Tactics and New Powers
Kaelen had no time to waste Mana on ineffective attacks. The Armored Crawler, its attention drawn by the initial Mana beam, began to accelerate its pace towards the girl and Kaelen. The girl whimpered softly, unable to move quickly, paralyzed by terror.
"Now's the time!" Kaelen thought, feeling adrenaline ignite his senses. His Dimensional Vision was working even better now, as if the world around him had become clearer. He saw faint energy lines connecting the creature to the dangerously dangling metal rod from the cracked building's ceiling. They weren't literal lines, but an intuitive sense that there was a connection, or that this was the optimal path for energy.
Kaelen focused all his attention on the metal rod. He gathered more Mana in his hand, feeling a greater heat intensify in his palm. This was harder than the first time, as if his body resisted the surge. A new notification appeared, showing his current Mana level and the projected cost of the ability:
[Mana Reserves: 75/100] [Projected Mana Cost (Concentrated Burst): 25]
He had 100 Mana points in total, meaning if he used this burst, he would have 50 left. He had to succeed. He unleashed a larger, more concentrated beam this time. It wasn't an offensive beam, but more like a focused energy pulse. The beam struck the metal rod, specifically at the weak point Kaelen had sensed with his new perception.
With a loud, grating sound like corroding metal, the rod tore free from its moorings. It was massive and heavy, falling at immense speed directly onto the Armored Crawler, which was just a few steps away from them. The monster wasn't quick enough to dodge the fall, and its armor wasn't sufficient to absorb the full impact.
The rod slammed into the Armored Crawler with tremendous force. A deafening crash filled the air, followed by a sharp shriek from the beast. The Armored Crawler collapsed under the rod's weight, its glowing, rusty scales scattering everywhere, and then it ceased to move.
[Threat Eliminated: Armored Crawler (Second Wave)] [XP Gained: 150]
A new notification appeared immediately, then another achievement window:
[Achievement Unlocked: Tactical Dominance!] [Reward: Agility +1, Mana Recovery Speed +0.5/s]
Kaelen felt a slight surge of speed and lightness, as if his body had become less cumbersome. More importantly, he felt as if his Mana was regenerating slightly faster thanks to the new recovery speed.
Kaelen looked at the girl. Her eyes were wide with shock, looking from him to the crushed monster. "Let's go!" Kaelen said, extending his hand to her. "We need to get out of here."