Chapter 13: Behemoth’s Bane and the Weaver’s Gambit
---
The New Shanghai High campus was cloaked in the pre-dawn hush of June 9, 2045, but Lin Hao's dorm room thrummed with restless energy. The *Crimson Fang Core*, *Abyssal Orb*, *Wraith Crown Shard*, and *Titan Heart Shard* in his *Reinforced Apron*'s hidden pocket pulsed like a quartet of mischievous stars, their Abyssal Energy casting a ghostly glow that danced across his walls. The anonymous X message—"Weaver, you stopped the surge, but the war begins tomorrow"—hung in his mind like a storm cloud. A distant roar had shaken the campus moments ago, and Lin Hao's Level 16 stats felt like a wooden spoon against the looming threat of a Level 22 *Abyssal Behemoth*. With the Global College Combat Exams three months away, his reincarnated life was less about acing tests and more about not becoming monster chow.
[Sassy, a war? Tomorrow?] Lin Hao thought, his hands tightening around his *Spiked Abyssal Wok*, its jagged edges glinting with promise. [I'm a chef, not a general!]
[Hidden Quest Update: The mastermind escaped, but the Titan Heart Shard holds their energy signature. Next step: Track them to the city's edge, where a Level 22 Abyssal Behemoth guards their hideout. Reward: 1,200 EXP, Legendary Armor. Penalty: City-Wide Catastrophe,] Sassy, his sharp-witted [System], replied. [That behemoth's got 7,000 HP and a temper worse than Su Yan's. Use Forge of the World (Level 2), Thread of Fate (Level 4), Seasoning Slash (Level 4), and Cook the World in a Pot (Level 4) with some flair. Your Immortal-rank talent, Infinite Craft, loves a bold play. Get to the city's edge, Spatula Boy, and don't let the mastermind outcook you.]
Lin Hao's pulse quickened, but a spark of defiance lit his eyes. "If it's a war they want, I'll serve them a five-course beatdown." He texted Squad Firestorm: "City's edge, 4 AM. Big monster, bigger problem. Bring everything." Su Yan's reply was a fire emoji and "Don't die, Spatula Boy."
He slipped out of his dorm, *Spiked Abyssal Wok* in hand, *Spiced Shield Apron* tied tight. The city's edge—a derelict industrial zone where New Shanghai's neon glow faded into crumbling warehouses—was a 20-minute sprint. The air grew heavy with Abyssal Energy, and his orbs pulsed in sync with a distant hum. Squad Firestorm was already there, their silhouettes sharp against the flickering skyline: Su Yan's fiery aura blazing, Wang Lei's shield gleaming, Zhou Mei's bow taut, and Liu Tao half-melded with the shadows.
"Spatula Boy," Su Yan hissed, her *Blaze Sorceress* eyes scanning the darkness, "this better be good. What's the deal?"
Lin Hao held up the *Titan Heart Shard*, its glow matching the eerie light seeping from a ruined warehouse. "The mastermind's here, planning a surge to end all surges. That *Titan Heart Shard* tracks them, but there's a Level 22 *Abyssal Behemoth* guarding their hideout. We stop it, we stop them."
Wang Lei grunted, hefting his shield. "Level 22? You're insane."
Zhou Mei smirked, nocking an arrow. "Insane's his brand."
Liu Tao's voice slithered from the shadows. "Lead the way."
[Sassy: The warehouse is a maze, and the behemoth's waiting. Use Thread of Fate to scout, and prep Forge of the World for something epic. The mastermind's not alone.]
Lin Hao activated *Thread of Fate (Level 4)*, weaving golden threads into a shimmering net that floated into the warehouse. The threads pulsed, mapping a labyrinth of rusted machinery and glowing runes, pinpointing the behemoth—a massive, four-armed beast with molten scales and eyes like Abyssal voids—lurking 30 meters ahead.
[Scout successful! Abyssal Behemoth detected. HP: 7,000. Weak to energy disruption and fiery flavors. Plan fast, or you're mincemeat.]
Lin Hao whispered the intel to the squad, then led them inside. The warehouse was a cathedral of decay, its air thick with the scent of rust and menace. The behemoth's roar shook the walls, and it charged, its fists smashing crates into splinters. Su Yan's fireballs lit the darkness, but they barely scratched its scales. Wang Lei's shield took a hit, his HP dropping to 65%. Zhou Mei's arrows bounced off, and Liu Tao's daggers sparked uselessly.
"Sassy, we're toast!" Lin Hao dodged a fist, his wok raised defensively.
[Not yet. Use Forge of the World to craft a game-changer, and mix your other skills for maximum chaos. Think big, Spatula Boy.]
Lin Hao's mind raced, a wild idea forming. He activated *Forge of the World (Level 2)*, summoning a glowing anvil mid-battle. He tossed in the *Glowing Leather Hide*, *Titan Heart Shard*, and *Abyssal Alloy*, weaving *Thread of Fate* to bind them. The anvil flared, crafting a *Blazing Weaver's Cleaver*—a massive, fiery cleaver that hummed with Abyssal-disrupting energy.
[Weapon Crafted: Blazing Weaver's Cleaver – +40% melee damage, +25% skill synergy. Special Effect: Abyssal Sever – 15% chance to disrupt enemy energy.]
Lin Hao swung the cleaver, slicing the behemoth's arm for 800 HP damage, its scales crackling. The squad gaped. "You made a *knife*?" Zhou Mei laughed, firing arrows.
"It's a cleaver!" Lin Hao shouted, using *Seasoning Slash (Level 4)* to hurl a *Glimmering Spice Jar* cloud at the behemoth's eyes, creating a *Scorching Spice Veil* that blinded it.
[Damage dealt: 500 HP! Debuff applied: Scorching Blindness – Accuracy reduced by 75% for 30 seconds.]
Su Yan's fireballs hit harder, Wang Lei's shield held firm, Zhou Mei's arrows found gaps, and Liu Tao's daggers sliced deeper. Lin Hao activated *Cook the World in a Pot (Level 4)*, tossing in a *Minotaur Horn*, *Bookworm Scales*, and *Spectral Blade Shard*. He wove *Thread of Fate* into the broth, creating *Behemoth-Breaking Bouillabaisse*—a radiant, spicy stew that shimmered like a molten galaxy.
He launched the bouillabaisse, and it splashed across the behemoth, sizzling its scales for 1,500 HP damage. The threads tightened, binding its arms, and the stew's aroma healed the squad's wounds by 70%, boosting their attack speed.
[Combo Success! Damage dealt: 1,500 HP! Debuff applied: Bouillabaisse Bind – Behemoth immobilized for 15 seconds. Squad HP restored by 70%.]
The behemoth's HP dropped to 4,200, but it broke free, roaring. The mastermind appeared on a catwalk above, their cloaked form wielding a staff that pulsed with Abyssal Energy. "Weaver, you're a pest!" they shouted, firing a beam that grazed Lin Hao's *Spiced Shield Apron*, dropping his HP to 80%.
Lin Hao swung his *Blazing Weaver's Cleaver*, triggering Abyssal Sever and weakening the behemoth's defenses. He used *Thread of Fate* to weave a glowing rope, lassoing the mastermind's staff and yanking it from their hands. The squad p pounced, their attacks shredding the behemoth's HP to 1,500.
Lin Hao went for broke, combining *Cook the World* and *Seasoning Slash* to hurl Governments a *Behemoth-Busting Spice Barrage*—a fiery orb that exploded on the beast, dealing 1,600 HP damage and finishing it off. It collapsed, dropping a *Behemoth Core Shard* and *Abyssal Essence*.
[Enemy defeated! 1,200 EXP gained! Level Up! Lin Hao is now Level 17! Skill Upgraded: Seasoning Slash (Level 5) – Damage increased to 200-400, debuff duration increased by 12 seconds.]
The mastermind vanished into a rift, their voice echoing: "The war is coming, Weaver. You can't stop it." The squad panted, surrounded by bouillabaisse steam and loot. X posts from students watching via drones flooded with #SpatulaHeroSlaysBeast.
Su Yan grabbed Lin Hao's arm. "You're a walking disaster, Spatula Boy, but you're our disaster. What's next?"
Lin Hao held up the *Behemoth Core Shard*, its glow matching his orbs. "The mastermind's still out there, planning a war. We need to find their base."
Zhou Mei whistled. "You're gonna get us killed."
Wang Lei grunted. "Or make us legends."
Liu Tao nodded. "End this."
---
**Cliffhanger**:
Back in his dorm, Lin Hao's [System] pinged. [Hidden Quest Update: The Behemoth Core Shard points to the mastermind's base in the Abyssal Rift, a forbidden zone outside New Shanghai. Warning: A Level 25 Abyssal Overlord awaits.] His phone buzzed with an X message: "Weaver, the war begins at dawn. Surrender the orbs, or the city burns." A shadow loomed outside, and a tremor shook the campus. Lin Hao gripped his *Blazing Weaver's Cleaver*, heart racing. "Sassy, I'm running outta recipes!"
[You've got Infinite Craft, Spatula Boy. Cook up a miracle.]
---