Ascension of the Primalist [A Tamer Class, LitRPG]

For the next two days, Seth, Colossus, and Nightmare scoured the winding tunnels in search of an Earth Seed. On the first day, they'd stumbled upon a region heavy with the acrid scent of ash, where skittish Fire Elementals darted between molten cracks. After a brief hunt for any Essence or Seed they could easily snatch and sell, they'd left empty-handed and decided to focus their efforts on finding an area rich in Colossus's affinity.

Eventually, they did. The air had grown thick with Earth-attuned aether—so dense Seth had been sure they would find something. Yet after an entire day of scouting the surroundings while cloaked in Illusionary Emptiness, the search was proved fruitless. Seth's patience was now wearing thin, his body itching for a fight since they had spent the last two days avoiding every beast they encountered to save time.

He couldn't take it anymore.

So, the moment he spotted three Earth Elementals isolated in a cavern chamber, he made up his mind and decided that he, Nightmare, and Colossus would face them.

The three hulking figures of granite and obsidian rose from behind a small, rocky ridge ahead. Two were exactly as all the others Earth Elemental from the past two weeks ago: torsos of jagged rock with detached, boulder-like fists hovering at their sides and a large oval head. The third, however, was different. Larger and sturdier, it stood on four thick legs, its form reminding Seth of the Undead Rhinoceros from the Rift in the Wicked Forest.

Three horns of solid rock jutted from its muzzle, and hazel light burned within its hollow eye sockets. Each of its heavy steps sent a tremor across the cave floor. Through his bond with Nightmare, who stood beside him, Seth felt a faint prickle of Danger Sense—not enough to warrant retreat, but just enough to promise a real challenge.

A grin tugged at Seth's lips. 'You guys ready for a fight?'

'Finally!' Nightmare exclaimed. 'I was going to fall asleep.'

'We're done looking for a Seed already?' Colossus asked from within the teardrop necklace, the disappointment in his voice impossible to miss.

'No,' Seth answered with a grimace. 'We'll keep searching. But a few fights along the way won't hurt. We need to get stronger through combat regardless.'

'Okay!' the scorpion said eagerly as he peered at the three Elementals through Seth's eyes. 'Can I use Chitinous Taunt on all three? I wanna see if I can take them all at once!'

'Uh… sure,' Seth said with a faint chuckle.

Seth mentally switched the connection of Share from Illusionary Emptiness to Shadow Step. There would be no stealth this time; Seth wanted a straight fight with Colossus drawing their attention, as he and Nightmare would attack the weakest of the trio for a quick kill.

Without waiting any longer, Seth charged. The Elementals' heads snapped toward him, and he immediately cast Intermediate Identify.