The Stonehearted Knight
Chapter 195: A new trick

Chapter 195: A new trick

"Is there something inside this one too?"

Hex sat on a branch, observing the dome a few hundred meters in front of him. The shell seemed undamaged. Aside from patches of short grass and forest flowers, the area seemed clear.

The green moss growing on the shell covered the grey of the building. Not far from the dome stood an imposing statue of a female on a massive horse. The sword she wielded seemed to have broken due to wear and tear. The shield in her other hand remained whole despite being full of web-like cracks.

’I wonder what she did that earned her such a commemoration. She was quite a beauty.’

Whoever crafted the statue was a master at it. Even time failed to erase the beautifully crafted lines and curves, revealing the enchanting features of the heroic lady. The horse seemed lifelike too, aside from the one horn on its head. But Hex had to admit, the horn gave the horn a more majestic feel.

The map missed information about this dome. If Hex wished to discover more he needed to enter the dome. It would require battling the occupant.

So far, the creature remained holed up inside the dome. But Hex didn’t doubt there was something inside the building. After all, he could sense its powerful energy fluctuation.

’Although it’s not a Calamity, a Disaster is still not something I can take lightly.’

As soon as Hex reached within two hundred meters of the dome, he sensed its presence. Although he rejoiced not encountering another Calamity, he didn’t fancy fighting a Disaster either.

The sole reason he didn’t escape the dome’s area was the presence of weaker creatures in the vicinity. With so many normal and Demon beasts around, Hex suspected the dome’s occupant to be slow or non-predatory.

’If I avoid this one, how long before I find one occupied with something I can guarantee a win against?’

Hex suspected all the domes to be home to some kind of monster. He even cursed the mapmakers inwardly for omitting such an important detail. He of course didn’t spare Sterling from his curses. In his mind, the silver-haired bastard was perfectly capable of setting him up for some sick benefit Hex couldn’t phantom.

Time ticked. Hex, however, remained on the branch, observing and waiting patiently. An unknown opponent was the scariest.

It was almost dusk when he sensed the energy of the creature inside the dome spike. Hex immediately raised his guard, covering himself with the cloak. He also used the Frost Armor technique to create a breastplate of sorts. The ice crystals stood outward instead of flat.

Sss!

The creature’s hissing noise scared many small animals away. Hex remained vigilant but at the same time, his interest piqued. The noise seemed familiar to a snake’s hiss but he didn’t see track marks anywhere.

Sss!

The noise increased. Hex’s eyes were glued to the opening in the dome. First, a black with white spotted snake-like head emerged. Hex felt his heart speed up. If the creature was a snake then it should be monstrous because Hex estimated the head to be at least thirty centimeters. But the next moment, when its feet emerged, Hex felt more at peace.

The creature exited the dome as the sun went under, revealing its more than five-meter-long body. It stood at a height of two meters and its large reptillian eyes looked around. Seeing its forked tongue move in the air, Hex thanked his wits to remain upwind.

Another thing he noticed was the time needed for the creature to exit the dome. Even with no obstructions in its path, the monster took five minutes to exit. Once out, it remained in one place, barely moving.

’This is indeed a very slow beast. Perhaps I stand I chance against it without resorting to the tools.’

The tools were a trump card he didn’t wish to use even if no one seemed near. For one, he didn’t wish to rely too heavily on them and two, the explosions might attract attention he didn’t wish to get.

The creature seemed to have found something and waddled slowly away. This confirmed Hex’s suspicion.

’This is a battle I can try.’

The monster stepped in his direction, blissfully unaware of Hex’s intentions or even presence. It seemed to have found some large insect in the trunk of the tree Hex was on. While it munched on it, Hex aimed and shot out.

Flex Step!

Crack.

He blasted him toward the Disaster, his newly-bought Knight-grade sword aimed directly at the creature. Hex covered the short distance in a fraction of a second.

In the next instance, his attack connected, cutting deep into the creature.

Hiss!!

The slow creature hissed, attacking simultaneously. Its cold eyes locked onto Hex as a gas cloud spurted right into his face.

Frost Armor!

Hex hurriedly covered his face with ice crystals but to Hex’s horror, the ice started to melt as soon as the gas touched. Hex used more ice elements to continue his face cover while he urged the nature element to recover whatever little gas entered his body.

But the creature wasn’t done. It struck out with its sharp claws. Luckily, it was slow, making avoiding it easy.

Flex Step!

Hex stepped off the ground and flew backward. As he flew in the air, he noticed the grass around his previous spot fall apart due to the gas. Even the bark of the ancient tree burst and fell onto the ground.

’Poisonous bastard.’

Hex landed on a branch and shot once more at the beast. His exercise with the Calamity inspired him to use the branches and his Flex Step to move faster and more unpredictably. It seemed similar to how he used the mountain slopes and ridges in the past.

With each attack, he injured the beast more and more. The monster bled continuously but its energy decreased very slowly. Even with his near-infinite amount of stamina, Hex began to gasp.

Blizzard Strike!

Hex executed his element-fused attacks to slow the beast even more. He hoped the element could slow the recovery of the beast. But a Disaster stage beast’s resilience neared a plant creature’s.

’The ice slows it but the damage is not enough. Should I use a crystal infused with a little bit of the black swirl?’

He was tempted. On his own, the battle would ensue well into the night, inviting more trouble his way. After all, nighttime was the favorite hunting time of many beasts. These inclinations didn’t cease after ascending to higher stages.

’Wait!’

Hex blocked another claw, using his ice element and nature element in cohesion. The flesh around the claws was burnt. Hex tried to unleash his fire elements but it didn’t have a significant result. He lacked a proper technique to execute it.

While he pondered which other element to use, his mind conjured the image of the black swirl. A thought took root. ’Why can’t I use the black swirl with a normal attack?’

Hex attacked the creature with more strength, giving it all. His cuts and slashes injured the Disaster even more. In the dark sky, Hex saw the moon partially hidden behind the clouds. The battle was raging for some time now.

The creature’s hissing noises filled the air. It slowed down but it wasn’t dying yet. Hex ignored the prickling feeling of having his salty sweat entering his eyes. His focus was on the black swirl.

’The fire element lacked in damage due to lack of technique. The black swirl can be combined with other elements...I think. What if...?’

From the time he entered the slums, Hex adapted and learned to come up with innovative ideas. Some saved him, some nearly killed him. But they always improved Hex.

At such a moment, instead of worrying about his lack of diversity, Hex improvised. He focused on the black swirl and moved forward. The edge of his sword gained a layer of ice. But the ice wasn’t clear. The ice elements had a faint dark luster to them. It gave Hex’s sword an ominous feeling.

The creature hissed loudly. A Disaster had a sharp instinct. It could feel the danger wrapped around the sword. It tried to retreat but its injuries prevented him from doing so quickly.

Dark Blizzard Strike!

Hex added the dark in his mind as his sword danced in the air, slashing and cutting deep into the creature. He landed almost thirty consecutive attacks on the beast.

When he landed back on the ground, panting loudly and trembling from head to toe, he finally sensed the energy inside the creature dwindle at a high speed.

Curiously, Hex observed the wounds he inflicted on the beast with his black swirl added. Even the creature’s black hide couldn’t conceal the eroding effect. Instead of recovering, the wounds deepened and widened.

Hex inserted more of the black swirl into his sword and glanced at the beast, before inserting his sword directly in its heart.

Thud!

The creature’s heart exploded. The creature moved and trashed around but gradually it died.

Exhausted, Hex crawled into the dome’s opening and closed his eyes. His first day exhausted him greatly.

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