The Art of Cursing... and the Desperate Pit Trap Plan
The Art of Cursing... and the Desperate Pit Trap Plan
BOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The debris exploded like a heart bursting with hatred. The ten bodies emerged from under the rubble. Their flesh was torn, their armor shattered, and their bloodshot eyes burned with pure, murderous rage. They had survived — barely — but they had survived, and every ounce of pain in their bodies turned into focused hatred for the intruder who crushed them like insects.
Arion stared at the scene, the mocking grin frozen on his lips.
"The hunter really did become the prey." He exhaled bitterly, then did the only thing a sane man could do in that situation:
He turned and ran for his life.
And so began the wildest, craziest chase in the history of dwarf mines. Arion ran in front, weaving left and right through pillars and tunnels, while the furious goblin squad chased him like a pack of rabid dogs.
"Grrrrrraaaaa! #$@&%!"*
"Kiiiiii! #$#@% son of a #@&%!"
They screamed and cursed in their harsh tongue. Arion didn't understand a word, but the twisted expressions on their furious faces and the way they spat as they screamed told him exactly what the "conversation" was about.
Amid the sprint, driven by pure scientific curiosity, Arion used Status View on the captain who was leading the cursing.
> [Ghoul Guard Captain]:
Status: Blind with rage, wants to chop you into pieces and feed you to the rats.
Surface Thoughts (Translated): "Son of the one who spread her legs for all who walk the rotting earth, you bastard child of the whore who sucks rods with the lust of your mother, granddaughter of the filthy beetle! I'll make your guts my necklace! I'll use your skull as a drinking bowl! You #%@$#!"
Arion's eyes bulged as he ran. "Hmmm," he muttered in genuine shock, dodging a flying axe. "Th...this... They're really good at swearing! In my long career as a gamer, I've met every kind of player and every kind of insult from all over the world, but... these goblins really have talent! 'Granddaughter of the filthy beetle'? That's new. By the way, what does that even mean?"
"Haah, it hurts! My feet are about to break from all this running! Damn! Damn!" he yelled at himself as his burning lungs reminded him he was now running a marathon for his life. "Damn me! I was so amazed by goblin creativity that I forgot myself!"
The chase was hilarious from both sides. Arion stumbled, slipped, and once even ran straight into a dead end and had to turn awkwardly, letting the goblins close the gap dangerously. The goblins, blinded by rage, kept bumping into each other, tripping over scattered corpses, and unleashing more creative curses every time they failed to catch him.
When Arion snapped back to focus as he ran, his mind kicked into high gear.
"What can I do against ten damned, vengeful, master-level insulters? Even if they're badly injured…"
He cast a quick Status View on them.
"One of them only has 10 HP! Looks like he took the worst of it. Maybe he sacrificed himself... or was sacrificed?"
He noticed how the other goblins sometimes shoved him forward as a makeshift human shield.
"Not important now!" he shouted at himself. "What matters is how I survive! Yes, yes! Come on, brain — don't be the reason we die!"
An idea. A desperate idea hit him.
"System, how long left on Skill Crafter?"
He checked his stat window quickly — the cooldown was over!
"Perfect! At least!"
He started thinking of an overpowered skill. "Maybe Shadow Explosion? Or Earth Prison? My life's in danger — maybe the system will accept it!"
> [Analyzing requested skill: Shadow Explosion]
Expected Rank: A
[Creating...]
[...Rejected. Are you kidding?]
"I knew it!" Arion yelled in despair. The trick didn't work. There was no time for fancy ideas or complex attempts. He needed something simple, something that used his current skills.
"Trap skill! Deceptive Pit Trap… what if... what if I could expand it?"
> [Analyzing requested skill: Expand Pit (x2)]
Suggested Description: Modifies existing Deceptive Pit Trap skill. When used on an existing pit, doubles its diameter and depth.
Expected Rank: F+
Mana Required: 20
Cooldown: Tied to original trap skill cooldown.
"Come on, system! Help me! Please accept this one!"
> [Creating...]
[...Rejected. Skill requires deeper understanding of earth manipulation.]
"Nooooo!" Arion screamed.
"Fine! Another modification!"
> [Analyzing requested skill: Temporary Pit Expansion]
Suggested Description: When used on an existing pit, expands it to double its size for 3 seconds only before reverting to normal.
[Creating...]
[...Success!]
[You have gained the skill: Temporary Pit Expansion (Rank F)]
"It worked!" Arion shouted in delight. "Three seconds! That's all I need!"
Now, the real plan began. He wasn't running blindly anymore. He ran with purpose, desperately searching for one thing in these endless stone tunnels:
Soil… or sand! Any patch of soft ground where he could set his first trap.
The desperate chase for survival had become a frantic race to find the perfect spot for his deadly snare.