Some monsters are like that, like birds’ wings that make them fly or the poison from scorpions. It’s not a skill that uses essence; it’s an inborn defensive mechanism.

Azaroth looked at them and said. "I think we are being hunted. Maybe from the boss monsters, it’s impossible that we should be walking for so long without reaching the end of the ship."

"It feels like more space was being added, or at the very least, the space was simply stretching," Azaroth said to them.

The others nodded, but if that’s exactly what was happening, that they were getting hunted by a monster like that...they couldn’t help but shudder.

A monster that has the inborn mechanism to control space? What about when such a monster advances in rank and gain ability to use skills?

"I think we have rested enough, Azaroth." Stallus said after they finished drinking water and chewed on dried fruits.

Azaroth didn’t want to reply at first, but finally, he opened his mouth. "We are not leaving here."

"What?!" Alex shouted, already on his feet. "How will we clear this Crypt if we don’t leave here? We have to kill the boss and maybe we’ll even be given some loot."

Azaroth looked up at him. "We have been walking for how long? It’s going to be the same thing. You can continue to walk if you like, but I’m staying here until that monster shows itself."

Alex grumbled and looked at the others, but Catena was already taking a nap on the floor, and Stallus was frowning silently to herself. "Fine!" Alex finally said.

"I see!" Stallus said, her face lighting up. "A monster like that is usually weak. That’s why they have such a mechanism in the first place; they only do sneak attacks."

"Why don’t we walk for a while and pretend to fall then we can lure it out?"

Azaroth nodded sharply and began to stand. "We’ll do as Stallus said, we will pretend to be tired from the walk and fall. We move."

They began to walk again; they walked fast at first, then they slowed, and finally, Catena fell. Azaroth didn’t know if the tall boy was pretending or if he’d just had enough. Anyway, everyone followed his move and fell.

’If only my chaos core is active, then I can just set a trap because I don’t even know how the monster will react,’ Azaroth thought to himself as he tried to hear any strange sounds.

Nothing happened for a while, and they thought maybe there wasn’t any monster coming after them, but then they all felt the presence at once.

They tensed, and it took some self-control, but Azaroth was able to make his body uncoil from tension. The monster was coming from the front and Azaroth was the first it would meet.

Claws dragged on the ground, and they heard the growling huff from the monster as it came closer. Azaroth was holding his sword in his right hand, and with each step the monster took, he was fighting internally not to move because all his body wanted to do was swing up.

He silently began to cover some part of his body with essence and cursed that he didn’t have a shield unless he made one with the others.

With his right hand and legs covered, he planned to end this with just one swing. The monster began to sniff closer to him and Azaroth began to count down in his head. One. Two...!!

"AhhhAhhAhh!" Alex, who was closer to him than the others, leaped up suddenly, waving his sword like a mad person. "I can’t hold it in anymore! Die! You monster!"

’Little bastard!’ Azaroth thought to himself, and he flung himself away from his place. Just in time, as the monster shrieked and clawed, hands slammed into the place he was before splintering the floor.

With the cover blown, everything stood and faced the monster.

Azaroth crouched, his red eyes shining like a predator in the light; with his sword between them, he took his first view of the monster.

It was like the other they killed earlier, but this one was twice as tall with two thin and long horns on its head. The slimes that covered his extended forward like a cloak, almost like a fog, and it warped the monster’s image because when you take your eyes off it for a second, it would appear to be far away.

"Kill it before it retreats! Blocking formation!" They haven’t learned anything like blocking formation, but Azaroth was hoping his teammates were smart enough to understand what he meant. With his legs covered in essence, he leaped forward like a released spring.

He targeted the monster’s head and his sword bit into flesh! What? As Azaroth passed the monster with his sword cutting through, he expected the head to follow, but the monster was still standing and turned towards him. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

’What is this?’ Azaroth thought. ’I cut that monster but it’s still standing. How can that be? This monster! It’s weak, but its defensive monster is what makes it a boss!’

Stallus crystal exploded above in the monster’s chest, but just like before, it appeared two feet away unharmed. "What!" She shouted.

Azaroth narrowed his eyes. "Everyone remain in your circle formation! Don’t let the monster pass through your place. It’s using some kind of illusion."

The monster was indeed weak, something that would fall with a single well-aimed sword slash. "Alex, Stallus, keep it busy with long-range attacks."

"Lightning Arrow!" Blue-white bolts shaped like arrows shot from him and toward the monster. And like before, the monster was there and then wasn’t, the attack missing it.

Even Stallus crystals were the same.

It growled and turned towards Catena, maybe thinking of cutting its way through his place but his spike ball chain snapped in the air and drove it away.

In all this, Azaroth didn’t make a move, his eyes wide open and taking in every detail of the monster’s movement. Then he did something he hadn’t done in a while. Azaroth smiled like a wolf.