Chapter 97: The Frozen Hollow
Gray drifted back toward the Azure Titan Clam’s shell. The massive mollusk had sealed itself shut again, but the wound he’d torn through its body still leaked pale fluid into the water. The creature was dying, just slowly.
’I should finish it,’ Gray said. ’No point letting it suffer.’
He circled to the hinge and fired Riptide Slash. The crescent blade struck the already-damaged tissue, splitting the muscle further. The shell sagged open, and the clam’s body went slack.
[AZURE TITAN CLAM DEFEATED — 680 EXP]
’And now we eat.’
Cindy let out a long sigh. "Of course. You just pulled a pearl from inside that thing, and now you want to climb back in."
’The flesh is supposed to be highly nutritious. That’s what the analysis said.’
"You already ate the best part."
’And now I’ll eat the second-best part.’
He pressed his feeding surface against the clam’s exposed flesh and began to absorb. The texture was dense and meaty, with a clean, briny sweetness that reminded him of the urchin but richer, fuller. It tasted expensive, if that made any sense underwater.
[Hunger Status: 12%]
He ate until the shell was empty, then pulled back, satisfied.
’Not bad. Definitely better than those bandfish.’
Cindy made a noncommittal sound. "I’ll take your word for it."
Gray floated in the quiet basin, his senses sweeping the area. The water was still. No predators had been drawn by the clam’s death. Either the basin was too remote, or the local monsters knew better than to approach while the Titan Clam still had its shell.
’We should head back to the grotto. I want to check if the Spirit Moss Fern has regrown.’
"Are you hurt?" Cindy asked.
’No. Just thinking about stocking up on that healing moss. If I can store some near the hollow, we’ll have a recovery spot if something goes wrong.’
Cindy was quiet for a moment. Then she said, "You really are thinking ahead now."
’Mercy is a surface luxury. Down here, you make your own luck.’
He began the slow swim back toward the Verdant Hollow, keeping close to the rock ridges. The pale stone gave way to the familiar green glow of the grotto as he approached. The silver fish were still there, drifting among the ferns, and the Spirit Moss Fern had already begun to regenerate from where he’d plucked it earlier.
’Good. It grows fast.’
He settled near the center of the grotto and let his tentacles brush against the moss. The faint tingling sensation spread through his body as the healing compounds seeped into his skin.
[HP: 980 / 980]
[MP: 700 / 700]
[Hunger Status: 8%]
And when he was full, Gray suddenly remembered something.
’That Glacial Moss Louse, I should hunt it.’ He said.
Cindy’s voice stirred. "The little round one with the ice shell? Why?"
’Its chitin contains traces of elemental ice. That might give me a new trait. Something different from what I already have.’
"You already have electricity, poison, water, physical attacks... isn’t that enough?"
Gray turned slightly, scanning the moss-covered rocks where he’d first spotted the creature.
’Against normal enemies, yes. But I’m not planning to stay in this area forever. Once we go higher, we’ll face creatures I’ve never seen. Having another element could be the difference between living and dying.’
Cindy was quiet for a moment. Then, softly, "That’s... actually thoughtful."
’I have my moments.’
He drifted along the ridge, the Glacial Moss Louse wasn’t far from where he’d first seen it. A small, armored shape grazing on a patch of glowing moss near the base of a stone pillar. Its pale blue chitin shimmered faintly, and the pulsing light along its shell beat in a slow, steady rhythm.
’That freezing mist could be annoying if I get too close.’
"So you’ll kill it from a distance?"
’Exactly.’
He positioned himself above the creature, outside the range of its defensive mist. Then he fired Riptide Slash.
The crescent blade of compressed water shot down through the darkness and struck the louse square on its shell. The impact cracked the armored plates and sent the creature tumbling across the rocks.
[RIPTIDE SLASH — 86 DAMAGE]
[GLACIAL MOSS LOUSE — HP: 94 / 180]
The louse let out a high, keening sound, and a cloud of freezing mist burst from its body. The water around it crystallized, tiny ice shards forming in a shimmering sphere. Gray watched from above, unaffected.
’That mist is cold. Even from here I can feel the temperature drop.’
"Don’t get cocky. That thing could still hurt you."
Gray answered by firing another Riptide Slash. The blade cut through the mist and struck the louse in the center of its shell. The creature went still, its pulsing light fading to a dull grey.
[RIPTIDE SLASH — 88 DAMAGE]
[GLACIAL MOSS LOUSE DEFEATED — 150 EXP]
He drifted down and absorbed the corpse. The flesh was cold, like eating frozen fruit, and left a faint numbness on his feeding surface.
[TRAIT FRAGMENT ACQUIRED: "Frost-Touched Chitin" (1/5)]
[New Trait Discovered!]
[FROST-TOUCHED CHITIN — Preview]
« Analysis »
A defensive trait derived from creatures adapted to extreme cold. Reinforces the user’s body with a thin layer of frost-resistant chitin that can absorb and dissipate heat-based attacks.
Effect at Completion:
· Grants a new active skill — [Frost Armor]. Encase your body in a layer of dense ice, reducing physical damage taken by 30% for 15 seconds. While active, physical contact with the user deals minor cold damage to attackers.
· Passive: 10% reduced damage from fire and heat-based attacks.
’Interesting... not what I expected,’ Gray said.
"Why? Is it bad?"
’No, it’s good. It’s defensive. Frost Armor that reduces physical damage, plus a passive that weakens fire attacks. That’s useful.’
Cindy let out a soft breath. "So you’ll hunt more of them?"
’Five fragments to complete. I’ll need at least four more.’ He scanned the area. ’But this one was easy. Let’s see how many I can find.’
He pulsed onward, moving deeper into the pale stone ridges. The moss-covered rocks stretched ahead, dotted with faint patches of blue-green light. The water grew cooler as he moved, and his senses sharpened against the chill.
The second Glacial Moss Louse was larger, nearly three feet across, and its shell was crusted with actual ice crystals. It fed on a thick patch of moss near the edge of a narrow ravine, its pulsing light casting cold blue reflections on the stone.
’This one’s bigger.’
He circled above, studying the creature’s movements. It shifted its weight slowly, its dozens of tiny legs working across the rock. Every few seconds, a puff of frost escaped from the edges of its shell.
’I’ll aim for the legs. If I flip it over, the underside should be exposed.’
"And if the mist freezes the water around it?"
’Then I’ll wait until the mist fades.’
He fired Riptide Slash, the blade hitting the louse near its front edge and cracking the icy shell as it spun slightly.
[RIPTIDE SLASH — 84 DAMAGE]
[GLACIAL MOSS LOUSE — HP: 156 / 240]
The creature shrieked and released a thick cloud of freezing mist. The water around it turned milky white, and shards of ice formed along the rocks. Gray kept his distance, watching.
The mist spread wider than the first one’s.
’Tch! Bigger cloud. I can’t get a clean shot from above.’
"Then use the cave. Force it toward the rocks," Cindy suggested.
’Actually... that’s good. If I can drive it into a corner, the mist won’t matter.’
He fired another Riptide Slash, this time aiming past the creature to break off a chunk of rock that collapsed behind it. The louse skittered forward, away from the falling debris, exactly as intended.
’Now, let’s see how you handle tight spaces.’
He dove, weaving between the stones, firing again and again, herding the creature toward a narrow crack between two stone pillars. The louse scuttled into the gap, its shell scraping against the rock.
Gray rose above the crack and fired Cavitation Pulse downward. The superheated blast struck the trapped louse, punching through its ice-covered shell and into the soft body beneath.
[CAVITATION PULSE — 62 DAMAGE]
[GLACIAL MOSS LOUSE — HP: 10 / 240]
The creature twitched once, then went still. Its freezing mist leaked out in a final, pitiful puff.
Gray absorbed the corpse and waited for the notification.
[TRAIT FRAGMENT ACQUIRED: "Frost-Touched Chitin" (2/5)]
’Two down,’ he said.