Chapter 96: Bossrush pt. 3

Stepping aside so that Porkchop could join him in the airlock that led to the giant’s enclosure, Kaius pulled closed the first steel door and locked it tight. As he’d originally suspected, the second door wouldn’t open if the other was left open. A precaution on letting any specimens escape, he presumed.

He turned, looking through the enchanted glass tunnel to focus on their target. It still stood in the far corner of the room, twitching as it stared at the wall. Odd behaviour, even for a depths-born, but he doubted that it would last once they entered.

He rolled his shoulders, loosening himself up, before he drew his sword and moved over to the next steel door.

“Ready?” He asked, looking at Porkchop, who gave him a short nod in return.

He took a breath, hopping up and down on the spot to get his blood pumping. The tension of pre-battle started to flow away as his heart started to race, his Bloodsong igniting in full force. Reaching for the spindle that held the door closed, he spun the wheel. With every click and clank of the geared mechanism he grew hotter and hotter.

With a thud the wheel stopped. The door was fully unlocked. He set his shoulder and heaved, heavy steel swinging open soundlessly on oiled hinges. They charged into the room, starting their confrontation in earnest. Eager to capitalise on the giant’s lacking focus while they could.

Two deep blue needles shot from his raised hand, racing across the room to sink deep into the back of the Champions knee with a spray of blood. It broke whatever spell held the giant in place, the four armed abomination howling at his assault.

**Ding! You have challenged a Champion: Subject #38949 ‘Lover Boy’**

The giant spun in place, entirely unhindered by the tiny wounds he had left in its leg. Kaius’s eyes widened, the damned thing was fast. Its eyes snapped from him to Porkchop, before deciding that the charging greater beast was the more immediate threat.

It only managed to a single lunging step before the arcane payload he had left in its knee detonated, sending its lower limb spinning away in a shower of gristle and gore. Entirely unphased by the grievous wound, the Champion ripped its eyes away from Porkchop to focus on him as it threw itself forward with a howl of fury.

Landing on its four arms it clambered across the ground, crawling towards him fast enough to match him at a full sprint.

The heat of battle already well and truly stoked within him, Kaius only grinned. Good. This one seemed like it would be a proper slog. Gripping his sword in both hands, he fell fully into his Bloodsong and raced forwards to meet it.

Porkchop pivoted, launching towards the giant with an outstretched paw. He raked his claws along its ribs, though it only hissed in fury and redoubled its charge towards Kaius. Huffing in frustration, Porkchop wheeled around and chased after it.

Kaius snapped off another arcane needle, aiming to take off one of its arms. In a surprising display of reaction speed and agility, the giant duked to the side. His spell was faster still. The needle sunk deep into its chest, shredded flesh blowing out of its clavicle a moment later.

The giant was uncaring. Mana pulsed in the creature, forcing Kaius on to high alert. A skill. Moments later there was a gush of roiling flesh that surged through the wounds he had given it, nondescript red goop flooding the hole in its chest and trailing from its leg like a whip. Another moment and it was healed, returning to its feet in the space of a single stride.

Kaius’s eyes widened. The cost of the skill on the creature’s Health must have been ruinous, but if they couldn’t cripple the beast then this was going to get rough.

The giant arrived. All four of its limbs smashing towards him in a storm of rapid fire haymakers. Doom came at him from every angle, Danger Sense pushed to its limits as it tried to keep track of the flurry of blows. Kaius grit his teeth and moved. He slipped around two punches, the slightest steps and twists letting him avoid the blows by hairsbreadths.

**Ding! Danger Sense has reached level 14!**

**Ding! Dodge has reached level 15!**

A third came from above. He nearly missed it, so focused on dodging that only the last minute warning of his skill saved him from being pasted. No time to dodge. He pivoted to the side, biting deep into the giant’s forearm with his blade as he just barely managed to deflect the overhand punch.

Porkchop arrived, snarling as he launched himself at the giant from the side. He clawed at its ribs, tearing into its chest before the fourth arm smashed him back with a crunch of cracked bone.

“Careful!” He called to his friend, stabbing deep into its leg as he stepped around another wild blow. The giant roared, and doom flared. A quick jump backwards saved him for an open handed slap, only to be caught flat footed as the skinless abomination kicked out.

Kaius cried out in agony as the kick caught him full in the chest. Bones snapped with a sickening crack, ribs forced deep into his chest as he was sent stumbling backwards. He coughed, blood flooding his mouth.

Health going to work, Kaius felt a sickening burning itch followed by a droning series of pops as his ribs snapped back into place.

**Ding! Adamant Body has reached level 19!**

**Ding! Lesser Regeneration has reached level 9!**

He scowled, burning a hole in the giant with his gaze as he watched it spin to deal with Porkchop, who had returned to harass the Champion once more. The bastard was smart. It had forced him right where it wanted him with that slap.

He rushed back in, firing another two needles into the leg of the giant. Gore splattered his face as the spells detonated, severing the creature’s leg once more. Mid-battle as it was, the giant was far less capable of dealing with the sudden wound, pitching over and hitting the ground hard. Right in front of him.

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Porkchop descended on the Champion immediately. Tearing into its good leg with abandon in an attempt to further hamper its mobility. The giant scowled, trying to boot Porkchop as he shredded its hamstring.

Explorer’s Toolkit twinged, shunting Kaius’s attention towards one of its arms that had gotten pinned behind the giant’s back. He didn’t waste the moment. He brought A Father’s Gift high overhead as he stepped in. Then he chopped.

Exposed muscle parted with ease under the force of his full bodied swing, though his blade glanced off its bone. He ripped his sword free, pivoting into a whirl of alternating cuts as he attacked the limb.

The giant roared in fury, rolling into a backhand that forced him to dodge.