The Stonehearted Knight
Chapter 281: Against a Calamity (2)

Chapter 281: Against a Calamity (2)

Hex stood outside, sensing the number of energies he could perceive inside. One, he had perceived before the other spiders attacked.

’Three Disaster-stage and one Calamity-stage creature.’

From the sound of their hurried scrambling toward the entrance, he knew they discovered his presence. He wasn’t hiding it.

’Wait.’

Hex stopped as he was about to step through the opening. He lowered his gaze and saw the space elemental circle flicker a little.

’A space pocket?’

Hex knew at once what the light meant. It was a rare opportunity to miss.

With a little focus, he sensed the pocket inside the room. It was small. But whether it was a coincidence or not, it stood at the center of the area ahead.

Hex concentrated and let the element circle guide him. He didn’t understand space yet. So, he let the circle he inherited from Wallen take the wheel. The circle flickered a little before flashing with a silvery light.

The light engulfed him just as the first Disaster crawled out of the hole. It screeched but it was too late.

Hex’s vision blurred. For a split second, he lost all connection with all his senses. But before he could think, his vision returned. Then his hearing abilities. Little by little, his other senses returned.

As soon as Hex’s vision returned, he saw a gigantic spider before him. Its mandible clicked. They were the size of his arm.

The Disasters hadn’t noticed him yet but it had. Its numerous eyes fixed on him as soon as he appeared.

Webs hung from the ceiling and filled the floor. When his sense of feeling returned, he felt it stick to him. At the same time, he felt his body spasm. Moving with Space elements left quite some issues in the body. It hurt but didn’t obstruct him.

It moved. But its size constricted it. Hex moved too. He knew he would be outnumbered if he stalled too long. So, he executed multiple Techniques at once.

Ice elements scattered and snow blew at the same time, aiming at the Calamity. Behind him, spikes made of Ice sprung out his back. Unlike the last time, these spikes were longer and sharper.

The screeched intensified behind him. Hex didn’t pay it heed. The danger lay before him. As soon as the Frost Bite and Blizzard Strike hit the creature, it started to spin threads of web out of its behind. The webs struggled against the Ice.

Flex Step.

A new Technique didn’t render an old one absolute. Hex knew that. He used it to evade the attack aimed at him. The Calamity lacked speed. But it could use its legs as spears.

They thundered around him, but Hex managed to evade all, narrow as it may be. He used Flex Step to skirt around. The indiscriminate attack helped him in the end. Two of the three Disasters were pierced into pieces by the Calamity. The tunnel shook under its heavy onslaught. Hex picked up the sound of sand cascading in the middle of all the screeches around him.

Hex also heard the third one make a faint noise that reminded him of a whimper. At the Disaster stage creatures improved their intelligence and wisdom. He wondered how much this one gained. Only wondered. He moved above it and struck out.

The carapace crunched under his might and even cracked but held on. The sturdiness of their material surprised him. Before he could launch another attack, he sensed the air behind him shift.

Without turning his head, he utilized Flex Step, moving out of the way. He felt the air split as one of the creature’s legs passed a hairwidth from his face. This time, the creature averted hitting its own at the last second.

’Like I will wait.’

He moved again. He operated the monolith in his inner space. The soul dust scattered and fused with his heart. Hex tried to control the amount this time.

"Argh. Fuck!"

It wasn’t pleasant. His muscles tore through his skin and his bones elongated. Hex didn’t transform completely. The Dragon Bear Soul roared but he controlled the rate with which it fused with him.

His body bulked and filled with immense strength. This time, he landed on top of the Disaster and punched its head. There was no holding back. He felt his fist connect. The tiny body hairs prickled a little but his fist went through the next moment. The skull cracked and he felt something mushy.

The Disaster-stage spider screeched and stumbled. Before it could take a few steps, it fell. Its body twitched. But its life was draining.

As soon as the Disaster fell, Hex jumped away. The Calamity went berserk. It shot strings of webs, one after the other. At the same time, its legs shot all over the place. It didn’t bother to keep its balance anymore. Its legs chased after Hex.

Hex managed to escape them. But not all the time. The webs obstructed his movement. It almost pierced through his head. He evaded by blocking with his arms. The leg went through it, though he managed to move it away from his head.

A few more hit him, injuring him. The holes in his limbs slowed him. Hex gritted his teeth and continued, using the Ice to freeze the bleeding.

The Calamity didn’t remain unscathed too. Hex used his increased size to smash against the legs. One already broke in half. He didn’t stop executing Frost Bite and Blizzard Strike either.

The tunnel was already filled with webs and snow. Hex directed a part of his Ice element to freeze as many threads as he could. He consumed massive amounts of Ice element but it proved to be worth it. Plus, the one thing Hex didn’t lack was the Ice element.

The Calamity also sensed things going against it. It tried to scamper to the back. But its broken leg slowed it even more. Hex didn’t miss his opponent’s wavering. He increased his attacks. He even allowed his body to transform a little more.

The influx of muscles and mass, combined with Flex Step, helped him jump and smash his fist down at the creature in quick succession. He felt his muscles strain under the weight. Yet he continued. Stopping wouldn’t heal the pain.

After suffering a few more stabs, he managed to break all the legs. The creature lay on the floor. It screeched. But it started to weaken. Hex noticed ice crystals appearing around several of its eyes.

’This is it!’

Hex hovered in the air. His focus went on the Ice element circle. With clenched jaws, he concentrated on gathering as much Ice as he could. The glow of the circle intensified. It went from faint to bright and then glowed, bathing him in the white-blue light. Hex didn’t stop. The amount increased. The light engulfed him. Only then, did he open his eyes.

Without looking at the creature he executed his Technique.

An avalanche of Ice elements escaped and coalesced.

Puchi!

The creature screeched but the massive spike shot out the ceiling. It pierced through it, keeping it nailed on the ground.

It trashed around, shaking the tunnel. Hex sensed it could collapse at any moment. He remained in his spot though. He used the respite to heal his wound. Gradually, the creature moved slower and slower.

But the sand cascaded more and more. Hex stopped waiting. He dropped on the head of the creature and slammed his fist into one of the several eyes. A slimy substance covered his hand as he pulled its crystal out.

Without the crystal, it fell silent. Its life ended.

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