Chapter Thirty One

Bob quickly jumped back; not wanting to be trampled should any of the room’s occupants decide to charge out the now partially-opened entryway.

Luckily, his actions appeared to go more-or-less unnoticed. A quick glance at his mental map showing that the monsters inside seemed unbothered. None having moved more than a few inches in any given direction.

Something which caused him to simply stand there for a second, feeling slightly unsure of what to do. A greater portion of himself having expected to either be immediately attacked or suffering the consequences of some sort of time-delayed trap on the doorway.

The lack of any immediately tragic occurrence throwing Bob for a bit of a loop.

He got back to himself after only a few moments, however. Before then, after having a sudden thought, swiftly turning around to walk back to where he’d come from.

Only to appear, moments later, with what remained of his last victim.

Once he reached the doorway again, Bob kept a close eye on the ‘blips’ within the room as, with the slightest burst of ‘Constrict’, he squeezed the still-twitching corpse. Letting a burst of blood and entrails fill the water right outside the doorway.

For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. Then, almost as if they were on a circuit, each crab seemed to briefly twitch in place.

Before then slowly turning towards his location.

Bob sprinted backwards. Dropping, both accidentally and intentionally, bits of the crab he’d crushed behind him as he did so. Making a gruesome trail to follow as he quickly made his way to the next hall.

He ‘watched’ the monsters slowly exit their room as he swiftly settled himself into another. One just at the end of the hallway; where he plopped himself down in a position with an easy view of the corner.

Before he then activated ‘Lifeless Disguise’, his form going still as he did his best impression of an inanimate object.

The crabs were far slower in their movements than he expected them to be. Appearing to feel very little relief over being released from their apparent imprisonment. Two of them not even having exited the room.

Though, he imagined that was likely due to the traffic jam that had been created right outside of it.

While he couldn’t tell with any degree of certainty, it appeared that the three who had left the room might actually be starting to engage in combat with each other. The ‘blips’ in his mind all seeming to be struggling to fill the same space.

A space, perhaps not so incidentally, where the first few legs had fallen off the decimated corpse he’d been hauling around.

At first, Bob felt a bit skeptical that they’d be willing to fight and potentially risk egregious amounts of damage to themselves over so little. It soon occurred to him, however, that he had no idea how long any of the beasts had been sealed inside that room.

The life cycle of these monsters was a bit of an enigma, honestly. While each and every one seemed desperate to consume food – even to the point of frequent and seemingly casual cannibalism – he’d never actually seen them go outside to hunt. Hell, the largest creature here still hadn’t left the room he’d first spotted it in. Despite what must be some truly devastating calorific requirements.

Of course, even if they did leave, Bob wasn’t certain what they could hunt out there. Almost all of the area’s fish swam far overhead. Each still rushing off towards their probable doom deeper within the valley. And the only other creature he’d seen outside of the masses of crabs was the octopus. Something he doubted any but the largest of crustaceans would have an interest in fighting.

Bob’s mind was beginning to spiral down a rabbit hole – wondering over the diets and fasting habits of regular earth crabs – when he noticed that the scuffle was breaking up. One of the three involved in the fight seeming to have had enough. Apparently unwilling to risk combat over so little.

Or potentially, Bob realized as it began moving in his direction, because it discovered there were easier meals available.

The singular crab seemed to briefly stop along the way, quickly munching down the bits Bob had left behind him. Utterly ignored by the crabs still lingering around the door. The fracas only increasing as further monsters pushed their way out into the hall.

As it finally rounded the corner, its fellows still a couple dozen feet behind, Bob was able to physically see it for the first time.

It was the first crab to appear dramatically different from any of its fellows. Oversized claws or spiked shells previously being the only noticeable change in body shape. The crustacean rounding the corner instead appeared to be an entirely different species.

It looked almost like pictures he’d seen of a Japanese spider crab. All of its limbs thin and emaciated. Even its torso appeared to be undersized. A bulbus little button stamped between its reedy legs.

As it fully rounded the bend, it clicked to a stop. Eyes staring around the area in search of any more food.

At which point Bob decided to test something he’d been curious about for the last few days.

Ding!

Taunt (E) Has Leveled up!

10 – 11

Bob wasn’t sure whether he should rejoice over his success or prepare to flee as he watched the crab’s attention jerk towards his location. He’d been worried that ‘Taunt’, with its recent failures, might simply be too low level to affect any monster above rank ‘F’. Apparently, however, distance and lack of a visual cue had simply weakened it.

Though Bob wasn’t entirely sure, as the crab’s black eyes connected with his jeweled own, that he was going to be able to count this experiment as a ‘success’.

As the crab straightened itself up in apparent aggravation, Bob started planning his escape. Preparing himself to leap out of stasis and run down the hall even as he readied his ‘ears’ for the soon-to-come discordant screeches.

Only for them to never arrive. The crab taking a few aggressive steps towards him before then awkwardly stopping; its gaze seeming to be searching for something while its body did a surprisingly good job of expressing confusion.

Had Bob lungs – and not been underwater – he would have let out a relieved breath. While he’d drawn plenty of crabs into the same room as him with ‘Taunt’, this was the first time he’d used it while still within full view of his target.

He’d known that the ability didn’t deactivate when he used his ‘mind control’ skill; but wasn’t sure the effect would hold up while under direct observation.

It turned out that, at least with enemies as dumb as these, it did.

Now to see if it held up under continued use.

Ding!

Taunt (E) Has Leveled up!

11 – 12

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The impact the skill had on the crab appeared greater than before. Though whether that was due to the increase in level or multiple usages in a short period of time, Bob had no idea.

Either way, it seemed to piss off the crustacean something awful.

The sudden rage surprised him, especially given that it lacked its standard accompaniment of telepathic shrieks. While the ‘Taunt’ skill itself described its ability as being able to either anger or entice its target; Bob had only ever really gone for the second category. Attempting to exude delicious thoughts as he convinced creatures to either eat him or come close enough to be within tongues reach.

He realized only as it began its charge that he hadn’t done that this time. His bravado from earlier having him simply stare it down as it rounded the corner. The first use of the skill simply confusing it. But the second accomplishing quite a bit more.

As it raised its claws and rushed forward, Bob felt like someone had pressed the ‘mute’ button on the television. So used to the unending telepathic assaults during combat that the crab’s silent charge in his direction appeared almost comical.

And also, as it veered wide of him to skitter further into the room, not terribly threatening.

It stumbled around the area in a confused fury. Long, thin arms being brandished about as it searched desperately for an enemy to destroy. Apparently having forgotten that it had already fled from a battle not two minutes earlier.

So used to them acting in concert, Bob felt surprised to see that the other crabs were continuing to pay no attention to the situation. All their focus still on fighting for scraps further down the hall.

Which allowed for an opportunity he refused to pass on.

The next time the crab turned its back to him, his tongue shot out like a spear. The action was far smoother than it had been even a day ago. Trial and error with his previous opponents giving him plenty of experience.

The crab couldn’t even begin to shriek before it was completely entangled. Its arms and legs too long and gangly to mount any kind of defense as Bob’s tongue coiled around its miniscule torso.

He didn’t use the remains of the candelabra this time. While the hard metal very much increased his damage potential against the comparably brittle carapace of the crabs; he was also worried it might be causing the growth of ‘Constrict’ to stagnate.

He’d been finding it easier to level ‘Taunt’ over the last day or so. Something which shouldn’t be happening, given its higher ranking.

He couldn’t be sure that using the bit of corroded metal was impeding him; but he also didn’t have any better ideas.

Besides. It wasn’t like he actually needed it.

‘DESTROY! RIP! KILL!’

As he felt the edges of the crab’s shell begin to falter, its vocalizations also picked up in intensity. Something that its fellows had also noticed, given the sudden stampede heading down the corridor.

Too bad they’d be too late to do anything.

‘Cru-’