One versus many
?????????????????
At this moment, the air looks as if it's frozen solid. Nobody dares to make a sound as they try to comprehend what just happened.
A moment ago, the swarm of rats was overwhelming the lizards, while a moment later a black entity was tearing apart their leader.
The rats were the first to react, after a moment of confusion, they start attacking once again.
The lizards react a little slower, but after seeing the newcomer was one of their species, they finally find a slimmer hope to survive.
I don't waste time, after assuring the enemy was dead, I charged myself to the next one.
Two of them try to attack me from the front, but I easily dodge and in response I first cut the throat of one and then I launch his body with my tail into the second one.
In the collision, while they were still confused, I finished them off with my claws imbued with
mana.
[You have killed tier 0 dire rat.]
[You have killed tier 0 dire rat.]
In the meantime, another enemy approaches me, one coming from the right and two from the left.
At the last second I jumped backwards to evade the attacks, and without wasting a single second I used my quick bite skill a second time to the enemy's throat.
The rat struggles to escape but I only bit harder to end its life.
[You have killed tier 0 dire rat.]
Nevertheless, some rats were able to injure me by attacking me from behind. In the chaos of battle, I wasn't able to notice them.
In the end, however, because of the defence of my scales and the significant difference in stats, they were not able to do much damage.
I unleash the skill of Greed in the form of thick black mist to scare them away.
It works. They hesitate, afraid of the strange phenomenon they cannot understand with their limited intelligence.
I obviously don't waste a chance like this, I concentrate the mist to consume two of them while I go to attack with a mix of normal attack and attack skills.
[You have killed tier 0 dire rat.]
[You have killed tier 0 dire rat.]
[You have killed tier 0 dire rat.]
…
“Huff… huff…”
We were able to kill more than half of the enemy, most of them killed by me, but I'm starting to get tired, even if I can recover my stamina with my skill, I consume more stamina than I regenerate.
The good news is I am uninjured, since I am easily able to heal the few injuries I sustained.
In the first place individually they are weak, much weaker than a newborn lizard on the same level, so they can’t do me much damage.
It's their numbers that are the problem, I can't simply protect myself from attacks from all directions, it's impossible.
The bad news is the other lizards are tired, without the energy to continue fighting. In the end, only five of them were able to survive with different degrees of injury.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
If I don't do something in the end I will be the only one to survive, I am not obligated to save them especially since they are only stupid animals and I still consider myself a member of the humanoid races, even if my current form says otherwise.
But.
The thought of my evil brother, who for power was able to sacrifice his people and his family to achieve success, fills me with disgust.
No, I refuse to become a monster like him. I will not die to save them, but if I work a little harder I can save someone's life, I am more than willing to try.
I have to think, my current power is insufficient so I have to find a new strategy. In the kingdom, I wasn't known for my power or for some special ability like my brothers, but I can confidently say in knowledge and strategy, few can match me.
At first I didn't notice but in the ceiling of the cave there are a lot of stalactites, I could probably use them to my advantage.
The moment a plan formed in my mind, I immediately act. I sprint to the other side and tell them to follow me.
At first they were confused or reluctant to do so, but after seeing the rats coming at us, they stop and start doing as I say.
We arrive in an enclosed space, they were scared because they would be trapped if they entered but in the end they still worriedly follow my order, the white one was the first to enter followed by the rest.
I simultaneously act as if we are running out of time before the enemy arrives. I charge my claw skill with mana but I didn't stop with the usual amount.
I continued until I almost lost all the mana in my body, then I try to unleash my attack externally in the form of a slash.
Normally that would be difficult as this is something only a trained warrior like a swordsman or high rank monster can do, but in my previous life to prove my worth I trained with a sword like crazy for years.
Even if doing it with claws is different, I have done it so many times that I am confident I cannot fail.
SLASH
I unleash a crescent like attack, but I did not target the filthy rats, I aimed at the stalactites on the ceiling.
And as I thought they end up either crushed or pierced by the stalactites, leaving them barely alive.
[Your understanding of the skill claw strike has increased.]
[The skill rank increases from F+ to E-]
After checking on the others, I eliminate the remaining surviving rats.
[You have killed tier 0 dire rat.]
[You have killed tier 0 dire rat.]
[You have killed tier 0 dire rat.]
…
After that I eat some of the rats to fill my stomach while leaving some to the others and absorbing directly the remaining ones.
[You have absorbed the target vital essence, experience awarded.] x32
[You have level up to level 3, bonus points granted.]
[You have level up to level 4, bonus points granted.]
[You have absorbed the target magic power, magic stat increases by 0,1.] x14
[You have absorbed the target magic power, magic stat is unable to increase further.] x18
[Magic power from higher rank entities needed to further increase magic stat.]
[Attempting to absorb the target traits… attempt failed.] x31
[Attempting to absorb the target traits… success. Traits successfully integrated.]
[You have learned the basic rune skill: Basic command.]
Phew.
It's finally over. it was maybe the first time I fought a battle to the death like this. In the past I always had my comrades helping me, and most of the time I preferred to stay in the back lines as a strategist.
This was clearly different, somehow I found it almost fun. I think I understand why muscle heads like the warriors in the army wanted to go fighting so much.
While I was about to check my status, the other lizards slowly made their way toward me.
At some point I notice them, but before I could react, they lower their heads almost as if they were kneeling.
You've got to be kidding me.
