Chrysalis

The centipede is crushed into the stone floor of the cavern. Deep cracks appear on its carapace after the kinetic force rips through its body, shattering the hard outer skeleton.

I’m stunned.

That was one fearsome strike! If I was hit by that I’d be squashed into a pancake, no doubt about it.

Scary!

The centipede doesn’t seem to have fared much better, it twitches on the ground, barely moving. The hound steps forward slowly, a murderous glint its eye. Almost as if its thinking ’take that you bug, how dare you threaten my greatness!’.

Before it can deal the finishing blow however something unexpected happens.

Sizzling acid streaks through the air and sprays down the hounds’ left flank, immediately burning into its flesh.

Oops.

Heheheheheh.

Sorry to interrupt your proud moment there hound, but I don’t want this battle to end just yet.

Of course, one blast of acid isn’t enough to finish off a hound, but the same is also true for the centipedes.

The Claw Centipede I hit earlier has now recovered enough to once more join the fray. It advances cautiously to reinforce its three unharmed brethren against the two healthy hounds.

This is the critical moment. With one centipede essentially down for the count but still living and one wounded hound the battle has become very even.

The centipedes seem a little unwilling to proceed with the fight now. They continue to posture aggressively but don’t actively make any moves to attack against their larger opponents.

The hound I injured is mildly wounded by my acid but not badly enough to keep it out of the fight, disregarding the source of the acid it returns to the aid of its allies in fending off the swarming assailants.

At that moment.

Splash!

the burning liquid strikes it

three living centipedes rush forward, hundreds of tiny legs skittering so fast the creatures almost seem to flow over the ground. Distracted momentarily, the hounds respond a beat

swinging its vicious tail around to slam the centipede away. Too late however as another centipede has taken advantage of the moment and struck

the chance to manoeuvre off the roof and down the wall, cautiously approaching the outskirts of

howls in anger and throws itself at its attacker, striking with fierce claws and fangs. When another centipede approaches from the side it is brutally

possibly fatally poisoned and other badly burned, the hounds are very much the worse for wear. Of the four centipedes, one is hanging on by a thread and the other three

carnage however as the poisoned hound, seeming to sense its demise, pushes further into the fray. Emboldened,

slain Level 3

[You have gained XP]

finished and I

reaching a

centipedes are giving their all to survive, lashing forward with their poisoned

now, barely able to put up any

at a critical moment allowing a centipede to catch it in the

pours all of its momentum into a massive swipe of the tail,

has

burned hound, both are severely injured, barely able to put up a fight. Slowly they circle each other, watching

its forelegs are badly bitten by this point, the centipede isn’t much better, several legs are crushed, hindering

hidden start gun has gone off they simultaneously launch at each other! The two monsters quickly converge and bite forward, latching onto each other. The centipede

Who will hold on?!

both creatures gradually

exhausted and on the verge of death. Their opponents, the centipedes,

...

Hmm...he.....hee.......hu hu ha HAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!

the palm of

entire process with my own eyes, I still cannot quite comprehend exactly how well this has all

of these creatures are on a sliver of health. Effectively 1 HP.

I was an average person. I lived in a normal society and wouldn’t consider harming another person, I had never been in

for a few days I have already become accustomed to battles just like this. Being forced to fight and take the life of your own food quickly changes ones’ attitude on

it by saying they aren’t people but monsters, but, isn’t

I need to secure the last

efficiently I move from hound to hound, using my mandibles to apply bite attacks until the familiar and soothing refrain of Gandalf rings in my