Chapter 14: Battle of Giants
Kaelen realized that a direct fight against this massive creature would be suicide. His small blades couldn't inflict any damage on the creature's tough, bony hide. His mission now was to find its weak point, no matter how small. He began to run in circles around it, trying to exhaust it and find an opportunity to attack.
The creature wasn't stupid. It followed Kaelen with its glowing red eyes, but its movements were slow and heavy. It slammed the ground with its massive fist in an attempt to stop Kaelen, but missed him every time. Kaelen expertly dodged the blows, using quick and erratic movements, a skill he had acquired from his previous experiences, but exhaustion was creeping into his body.
In the midst of the fight, Kaelen activated his "Analysis" skill again, focusing on the nearest creature.
[First Wave Creature Detected. Type: Combat. Level: 7.]
No new information appeared, but Kaelen was observing. He noticed that after each powerful blow the creatures delivered, they left a side of their body exposed for a moment. It was a small window of opportunity, but it was enough.
Kaelen waited for the right moment. When one of the creatures delivered a powerful punch with its left hand, Kaelen moved with lightning speed and leaped towards the gap in its bony armor. But instead of attempting to stab it, he did something else.
Kaelen extended his hand and skillfully plucked one of the glowing crystals from the wall. The crystal pulsed with energy and felt warm in his hand. When he directed it towards the creature, the monster began to tremble, its red eyes shrinking in pain. The crystal was its weak point!
Kaelen didn't hesitate. The moment the creature began to retreat, he lunged forward and plunged the crystal into the exposed gap in its bony armor. The crystal exploded with powerful purple energy, and the creature let out a resounding roar that shook the entire cavern.
Within seconds, the massive creature's body collapsed and disintegrated into a pile of glowing crystals, larger and more numerous than those he had collected before. These crystals radiated stronger energy.
[First Wave Creature (Type: Combat) eliminated.]
Upon seeing their companion fall, the remaining three creatures entered a state of blind rage. They began to slam their claws against the walls, letting out furious and ferocious roars. They attacked Kaelen all at once, without any coordination, driven only by a desire for revenge.
Kaelen seized the moment and lunged towards one of them while it was in a frenzy, using the same strategy. He ran in circles around them, taking the opportunity to pluck crystals from the walls and plunge them into their furiously moving bodies.
After a few minutes of fierce fighting, Kaelen stood alone in the center of the cavern, breathing heavily. He didn't emerge from the battle unscathed; his body was covered in dust and scratches, and pain surged through him. But he was alive, stronger than before, and he now realized that the rules of combat in this world were completely different.
[All First Wave Creatures (Type: Combat) eliminated.][Quest Progress: 80%.][Potential Reward: Essence Crystals, Rare Resources, Artifact.]
Kaelen didn't allow himself time to rest. Another notification echoed in his mind.
[First Wave Creature Detected. Type: Leader. Level: 10.]
Kaelen realized that the challenge was not over yet. Everything that had happened was just a prelude to the real fight.