Chapter 154: Mana Predator (2)
“Gwoack?”
The undead Mastodon was hurtling straight ahead as it shook the ground under its feet. But the merciless stomping came to an immediate halt as if it was struck with a bolt of lightning or covered with ice water. Its body flinched visibly, and it was rooted to the floor.
“Gwoack…?”
The undead never felt fear. On the contrary, they always gave off an air of fearsome hostility, even in the presence of the most potent foes. No fear or hesitation. That was their biggest advantage. But right then, the undead Mastodon was gripped with a vivid and clear sense of trepidation when it locked eyes with Lloyd, who was sitting right in front of it with a composed gaze.
Ding dong.
[Manaheart Skill Option ④: Zombie Domination has been activated.]
A new message popped in front of Lloyd. The meaningful messages took a portion of Lloyd’s view, like a bundle of surprise gifts or a medal of honor given to those who overcame hardship.
[Your manaheart successfully processed the extremely corrupt energy during your frenzy. For this special experience, you have been awarded new optional skills.]
[Skill Option 4: Zombie Domination – You can now control an undead creature whose mana is smaller than yours for a limited period of time. The domination period is contingent on your and the undead’s mana. During the domination period, the undead creatures will faithfully obey your commands. However, the dominated creatures obey you only when they are facing you. If this condition is not satisfied, they will immediately turn hostile and aggressive. There is no limit to the number of domination entities. You can only use this once per day.]
It’s just what the message said.
Lloyd’s mind flew back to the event a while ago. It must have been right after he used the Supercharge. His deafened ears picked up the noise around him. He opened his eyes and saw the undead Mastodon charging at him. He was about to jump to his feet and evade when he spotted a message that Zombie Domination had been activated. His eyes then met the undead Mastodon rushing in the front, and a pang of terror appeared in the latter’s eyes. The monster looked like someone who had borrowed money and then dodged you for a week straight. In other words, the Mastodon was scared.
So, to get this straight, I now have a skill that can dominate the undead for a certain period because I’d absorbed a large volume of undead mana with my Supercharge skill.
That was what happened, and it was evidenced by the herd of Mastodons that stopped in its tracks.
Ha. Who would have thought I’d obtain this sweet optional skill? Not me.
It was a spur-of-the-moment decision when Lloyd decided to use the Supercharge. He just thought that it was the most efficient and best way to stop the herd in this narrow valley. But now, he had earned a sweet optional skill.
I even became a mid-level sword expert.
Lloyd could feel that his senses were entirely different from before. The vigor in his body couldn’t be compared to the past. To analogize, he was like a scrawny teenager visiting the gym for the first time when he was a low-level sword expert, but now, he instantly evolved into a ripped gym rat who could lift heavy weights without breaking a sweat.
My goodness, this feels like coming across a 100-dollar bill in my coat I had hung in my closet the previous winter.
But Lloyd knew that he couldn’t simply bask in the happiness at the moment. His gaze then moved downward toward the message window, where it showed the time left for the optional skill.
[Number of dominated zombies: 108]
[Time left: 4m 58s… 4m 57s…]
The number of Mastodons left in this valley was 108, and he now had only about 4 minutes and 50 seconds until the domination was over.
I don’t have much time. My, if only there was more time, I could put the zombies, skeletons, and the other undead creatures to work without charge.
There had to be a way to actualize his wish, but not now. Not a second could be wasted. Facing the undead monsters, Lloyd rose and walked backward near Ppodong and the baby Mastodons.
“Everyone all right?” asked Lloyd.
“Ppodong!”
“Chuuu!!”
“Yes, yes, I am relieved. It was scary, right?”
“Ppo-do-dong! Ppodong!”
“Oh, you weren’t? You were hugging the babies, so they won’t get scared?” said Lloyd.
“Ppodong!”
“What a good boy,” complimented Lloyd.
It looked like Ppodong was hugging the baby Mastodons tight while he was in a trance due to the Supercharge.
“So,” Lloyd said as his eyes continued to look at the Mastodons, “let’s get out of here. Ppodong, listen up.”
“Ppodong!”
“Chuuu!!”
“We’re going to step on their backs to jump over them and make for the exit of the valley. We don’t have time, so don’t ask questions.”
“Ppodong…!”
“Chu!!”
They seemed to understand that the situation was bad. So, they simply nodded without any questions.
“Ppodong, put me on your back,” hurriedly instructed Lloyd. “And as for you babies, grab your tails with your noses. Like you’re playing with trains. Interlock yourselves like a string of sausages. You don’t get it? Here, like this. Good. Good job. Make sure you hold each other tight and never let go until we’re out of here. Okay?”
“Chuuu!!”
Since the valley was jam-packed with the undead Mastodons, Lloyd needed more than five minutes to push each and clear the road. So Lloyd was left with the option to hop out of here on their backs before the spell was up.
“Let’s go then!” shouted Lloyd.
“Ppodong!”
“Chuuu!!”
Time left: 4 minutes and 26 seconds. As soon as Ppodong and the baby Mastodons leaped, Lloyd commanded the herd of undead Mastodons.
“On your knees!”
Crackle! His order was processed in their heads, and the reaction was immediate.
“Kwo…ack!”
The one in the very front lowered its front leg after a short hesitation and did the same with its hind leg. Stooping its huge body to the lowest level, it then lowered its head and stretched its thick nose forward. Its position looked like a stair good for climbing.
“Okay, as fast as you can!”
“Ppodong!”
“Chuuu!!”
They stepped on the head and back of the first one and got up. And the whole area came into view.
“Gwoack…!”
More than a hundred Mastodons were in a line, filling up the entire valley.
“Let’s gooo!”
Everyone moved in perfect order.
Sprint! They stepped on the back of the first mastodon and kicked the forehead of the second. The third one’s butt was used as a foothold. From that moment on…
“Gwoak!”
Each time they stepped and passed by them, the trampled Mastodon sprang to its feet as though it was never laid down in the first place and was never under Lloyd’s domination. Each rose up with hostility and pursued Ppodong and the baby Mastodons with a deathly aura. The reason behind their changed attitude was simple.
Just look at how they change their attitude because I’m not looking at them anymore.
The condition of the optional skill, which was locking his gaze with the undead, was not satisfied as Lloyd passed by them on Ppodong’s back. But he could not turn around and look at them since that would make the silent ones in the front stand up and attack. In other words, there was only one thing Lloyd could do.
“Run! Run faster!”
“Ppodong!”
“Chuuu!!”
Ppodong darted off faster as he understood the situation. His chubby waist jerked up and down, and his fluffy buttocks wiggled. Ppodong sprinted and dashed against the wind with every fiber of his being that his tiny feet and hands became invisible by his sheer speed. He was followed by the five baby Mastodons, who jumped and leaped in the air.
“Chuuu!!”
The eldest one, who had locked Ppodong’s tail with its nose, cried out in surprise. It tightened its grip around Ppodong’s tail some more. The same went for the second, third, fourth, and youngest. Believing each other, they stiffened their noses and buttocks. As a result, no one was left behind.
“Good. We should keep going like this. Run faster, Ppodong!”
“Ppo-do-dong!”
Time left: 3 minutes and 25 seconds. Lloyd quickly counted the remaining number of the undead Mastodons lying flat on the ground.
There are about 50 left. We’re in the middle of the herd now. Since we left when we were at 4 minutes and 26 seconds, it took us one minute and one second to cross halfway. We can pull this off. At this rate, we can get out of here without any problem.
Lloyd felt hopeful. Safe escape was near. Feeling more confident, he encouraged Ppodong to continue dashing.
“Good! You’re doing a great job, Ppodong! Just a little more!”
“Ppo-do-dong! Pant! Pant!”
“You kids behind us! Don’t let go of each other’s tails!”
“Chuuu!!”
Good. Things are going very well. We should get out of here just like this, said Lloyd to himself.
“Okay, let’s gooo!!”
“Ppodong!”
Ppodong ran faster. The number of Mastodons in front of them started to decrease. From 20, it became 15. Eight, five, three, two. Finally, Ppodong jumped over the last one. Leap!
“We did it! Head to the valley exit!”
“Ppodong!”
“Chuuu!!”
Now, the undead Mastodons were freed from the skill. Lloyd could turn around now, but he wouldn’t be able to dominate the monsters. Why?
The skill said that I can only dominate once a day.
So, the only thing left for them was running their butts off. Before anything, they had to get out of the valley, and then, blast the cliffs flanking the valley with a mana blast. The landslide would then bury the undead Mastodons. Once the plan materialized in his head, Lloyd encouraged Ppodong to dash along the narrow path. He jumped over a creek and turned a few corners. From a distance, there appeared the valley exit. A faint ray of hope appeared. Lloyd became more confident they would make it out of there alive and safe. He thought so. But soon, he learned that he was wrong.
“Gwoack!”
Fwoosh! A ferocious shout came along with a rush of air. Lloyd felt something flying behind him.
“Huh?” Lloyd ducked down by reflex in surprise, and right at that moment…
Boom! A large, dark lump, flying at a great speed, brushed past Lloyd’s head.
“A rock?”
It was almost 10 feet tall. It looked like one of the Mastodons catapulted the rock with its nose.
I’d have kicked the bucket if I got hit.
Lloyd was relieved, but he nonetheless broke out in a cold sweat. But the next moment, he learned that his relief had come too early. The rock that passed him flew straight in the air toward the towering cliff on the side.
Eh…?
It flew hard and crashed down without stopping. Boom! The rock smashed the cliff, and the whole cliff began to rumble.
Boooom! Since the valley and cliff were narrow, the banged rock created a blaring noise and echo. The entire cliff shook to Lloyd’s fear.
No way.
A sinister feeling suddenly grew in him, Lloyd lifted his head and activated his design skill. Then, he saw.
A crack is spreading throughout the cliff.
The crack was tiny, but Lloyd could visibly see it grow bigger over time. Chills ran down his spine.
“Ppodong!” Lloyd found himself yelling in a high-pitched tone. “Run faster! As fast as you can!”
At that moment…
Crash! Boom! He heard a tilting sound and something exploding and then being crushed flat. Several areas of the cliff began to crumble. It was happening. The landslide.
“Dammit!”
Slam! Crash! Rocks came down everywhere. Ppodong dashed ahead, avoiding each from hitting him. He jumped, rolled, retreated, and rushed to survive. But there were too many rocks.
No. I can’t see the way out.
Doom. Despair. The tips of Lloyd’s fingers grew cold. The exit was near, but every path that led there was falling apart. No, everything that came into Lloyd’s view broke into pieces. Thousands and tens of thousands of tons of earth and rocks slid down all areas. There was no way out. And the mana blast wasn’t enough.
Really? This is how I die?
Lloyd was dumbfounded by this situation. Laughter escaped. He looked up. He felt victimized. He regretted saying that he would take the matter into his own hands. He should have escaped with the workers instead of risking it all by himself. But it was too late to regret now. No matter where he looked, the sky was no longer above him. There was nothing but dirt and rocks surrounding him. And so, this was really the end for him.
“I’m sorry you all…” Lloyd spoke as he realized his time was up. But at that moment…
Whip!
“…!”
Something white came down somewhere and wrapped around his arms, legs, and body.
“Ppodong?”
“Chuuu?”
The same went for Ppodong and the five baby Mastodons. Before they could respond, they were twined in something that resembled a white net. It was…
“A spider web?”
Lloyd’s eyes widened. The next moment, a shout came above the sky as if to answer Lloyd’s self-talk.
“Ggoming!”