Final Boss

[Still Proceed?]

[Y/N]

"Shit! What do I do?" Ray muttered under his breath, a sheen of sweat breaking out on his forehead. The promise of power, of evolution, dangled before him like a forbidden fruit. But the risk… the risk was immense. What if he collapsed? What if the extraction process mutated him beyond recognition?

He wrestled with the dilemma, the weight of his decision pressing down on his shoulders. "System," he asked, his voice barely a whisper, "is it possible to extract and store the attributes without immediately assimilating them?"

[Processing]

[Processing]

[Processing]

[It is possible to extract, and assimilation would be done whenever the host wills it.]

A surge of relief washed over him. "Yes!" he exclaimed, his voice a hushed triumph. "Extract!" he commanded mentally.

The world around him dissolved into a kaleidoscope of colors. A searing pain, unlike anything he'd ever experienced, erupted within him. It felt like his bones were being forcibly rearranged, each movement a fresh wave of agony. He gasped, clutching his chest, his vision blurring. "Wait! This wasn't how it happened last time! Is something wrong?" Panic clawed at him. His vision flickered, then plunged into darkness.

When he regained consciousness, the excruciating pain had subsided, leaving him weak and trembling.

[Extracted Attributes from Mid F-Rank Grothk]

[+3 Strength]

[+2 Agility]

[+3 Defense]

[+4 Stamina]

[Extraction Complete. Attributes have been stored. Assimilation and Evolution will commence upon reaching a safe environment and when willed by the host.]

The familiar system notification appeared, a stark reminder of his success. He had done it. He had extracted the Grothk's attributes. But the pain… it was far more intense than when he had extracted from the low-F-rank mutated spider.

Was it because this Grothk was a Mid-F-Rank? he wondered, his brow furrowed. Logically, the power difference between a low-F-Rank creature and a normal human was smaller compared to a Mid-F-Rank.

If that's true, does that mean I can't just extract attributes from any tier of monster?

Ray shuddered- what if he went ahead and foolishly extracted attributes from say, a D-Rank. Wouldn't he just explode?

The more he thought about it, the more wary he felt.

Is this a limit to my talent? The thought lingered, a nagging question mark hanging over his newfound power. His talent, once a beacon of hope, now left him with more questions than answers.

Surely, a talent as powerful as his, had to be nerfed somewhow right?

Lost in thought, he continued walking through the cavern, navigating the treacherous terrain littered with fallen Grothk. Miners and porters glanced at him, their whispers carrying on the wind.

"Look at that kid, just standing there like a lost puppy. These new recruits are more trouble than they're worth," a gruff voice grumbled.

Ray ignored the comment, his mind still grappling with the implications of his near-death experience. He approached the miner, the grizzled veteran he'd noticed earlier, who was working with surprising speed and efficiency. "Need any help... Silas?" he offered, after taking a quick glance at this miners badge to know his name- his voice still a bit rough from the extraction process.

Silas grunted, a flicker of something akin to respect in his eyes. "Yeah, could use a hand with this one. These bastards are tougher than they look."

As they worked, the air thick with the metallic tang of blood and the acrid smell of the cavern, Ray felt a subtle shift in Silas's demeanor. The initial suspicion had been replaced by a grudging acceptance, a tacit acknowledgment of Ray's usefulness. Just as they finished extracting the core from the fallen Grothk, a blood-curdling shriek tore through the cavern.

*SHHHRRRIIIIIII*

"What was that?!" Ray jumped, his hand instinctively reaching for a weapon around his waist, that wasn't there.

'Oh wait… I'm not even Awakened. What the hell am I thinking?'

He thought sheepishly, quickly lowering his hand.

Hopefully no one else noticed that slip up.

He wasn't the only one startled. A wave of panic rippled through the miners, their faces contorted in fear. From the shadows above, creatures of nightmare descended.

Harpies, their leathery wings outstretched, dove with terrifying speed, their claws gleaming like sharpened obsidian in the dim light.

Panic seized the miners and porters. They scrambled for cover, their cries of terror echoing through the cavern. The Awakened, however, moved with practiced efficiency.

"Archers, to the high ground!" Valerius bellowed, his voice cutting through the din. "Mages, prepare area-of-effect spells! Healers, on standby!"

The Awakened, a disciplined unit of elite warriors, sprang into action. Archers, agile and swift, scrambled to higher positions, their bows singing as arrows rained down upon the descending harpies. Mages, their hands glowing with arcane energy, conjured fiery explosions and crackling lightning bolts, the air crackling with the raw power of their spells. Healers, their eyes radiating a soft, calming light, weaved through the chaos, tending to the wounded.

The harpies were relentless. Their aerial agility made them difficult targets. They swooped and dived, their claws raking flesh, their shrieks piercing the air.

A young mage, her face pale with fear, misjudged a harpy's attack. The creature shrieked, its claws tearing a deep gash across her back. She cried out, collapsing to the ground, blood staining the cavern floor.

"Elara!" Valerius roared, his voice filled with concern. He rushed to her side, quickly assessing the damage. "Healers, now!" he commanded, his voice urgent.

The battle raged on. The air was thick with the smell of ozone, blood, and fear. The Awakened fought valiantly, but the harpies were relentless. Several more Awakened fell, their armor dented, their bodies bleeding.

They're going to die! What happens to us if they die? Ray thought, his heart pounding in his chest. He tried to appear calm, but his hands were trembling.

Finally, with a final, desperate flurry of attacks, the last harpy fell, its body twitching on the cavern floor. Ray let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

Valerius, his face a mask of grim determination, surveyed the battlefield. The once-confident group was now battered and bruised, casualties littering the ground. "Move out!" he barked, his voice brooking no argument. "We're proceeding to the boss chamber in ten minutes!"

The miners scrambled to their feet, eager to escape the carnage. Ray stayed close to Silas, offering what assistance he could, his mind still reeling from the chaos.

The Awakened, despite their losses, quickly regrouped, preparing for the final confrontation. They moved with a renewed sense of urgency, their faces grim.

"Let's move!" Valerius commanded, his voice cutting through the air.

They traversed a series of winding corridors, the air growing heavy with anticipation. Finally, they reached a massive chamber, its walls adorned with strange, unsettling symbols.

In the center of the chamber stood the boss: the Obsidian Widow. It was a monstrous spider, its body a grotesque mass of chitin and flesh. Thick legs, tipped with razor-sharp claws, supported its bulk. Eight red eyes, glowing with malevolent intelligence, fixed on the intruders.

"The Obsidian Widow," Valerius growled, his voice filled with dread. "Be wary. Its venom is highly corrosive."

The battle commenced. The Awakened unleashed a torrent of attacks. Arrows whistled through the air, fireballs exploded, and lightning crackled, illuminating the chamber in a blinding flash. The Obsidian Widow retaliated, its legs lashing out with blinding speed, crushing anything in their path.

Despite their initial onslaught, the Awakened were slowly being pushed back. The Obsidian Widow, sensing their weakness, unleashed its most devastating attack. A wave of intense heat engulfed the chamber, the air shimmering as the spider spewed a torrent of flames.

The Awakened, caught off guard, were engulfed in the inferno.

A young mage, Kai, stood directly in the path of the flames. He screamed in agony as the fire consumed him, his body becoming a blazing inferno. He crumpled to the ground, lifeless, his screams echoing through the chamber.

"Kai!!!" Valerius roared, his voice filled with grief and rage. He had failed. One of his team, a young man filled with promise, had fallen, consumed by the flames of the Obsidian Widow.