Chapter 71 - Unreliable Memories
*Swish*
Klautz didn't stop as before he gave the beast a few slashes. But he stepped back as he realized there was something strange.
Klautz furrowed his brows as he narrowed his eyes, fixing them on the beast.
"The poison seems effective," he whispered to himself.
He could deduce that the beast had slowed down albeit a little and this could lead to only one conclusion. The poison was running through its veins making it sluggish.
Klautz had thought that the death worm in front of him would have been as strong as the fiery ape back in the trial of control but it turns out that he had overestimated the beast.
Two people can have two completely different opinions of the same experience. Of course the old Klautz and the Klautz today have completely different personalities. His struggles over the course of the years had caused him to change. The trauma and loneliness he had felt back in hell had made him change, evolving into a completely different person.
When the old Klautz had gone through this stage it was the most traumatizing experience for the past him. That very experience had made the present Klautz overestimate the beast's powers to the point of being wary of it. Due to this Klautz had overestimated the beast's strength.
"I can't blindly rely on my memories anymore," Klautz whispered, "But this doesn't make it any better. That the beast is still a great source of danger."
He charged again at the beast and did his best to fight with it along with the other. There was a subtle difference between the death worm and the ape that he had fought in the trial of control. This death worm was definitely weaker than it. But the ape had so many weaknesses… its eyes… its neck etc. Klautz had killed it by attacking its neck when it was busy feeding itself. But unlike the ape, the death worm had no apparent weakness. It's Achilles Heel doesn't exist. To put it simply, It was Klautz's worst opponent.
Klautz nodded. He watched as the beast squirmed in pain as the poison seeped through its whole body all the while defending against everyone's attacks.
He took a few steps back as he panted. He held his chest to catch his breath. The same was true for the others but unlike him, they couldn't back off and abandon their friends to the dangers of the beast.
Klautz approached a wall beside which he had kept some supplies wrapped in monster carcasses.
He quickly unwrapped it. There were several crudely made spears with stone heads which were dyed in a purplish fluid. The poison dripped through the tip of the spear heads.
Klautz smiled. He had meticulously prepared them before the match began. But alas, he is not some blacksmith so these were the best he could make. They were crude. Some had 'not so sharp' heads while some had 'not so straight' poles.
He took one and hurled it in the air. Then caught it as he aimed it towards the beast. The veins on his arm bulged.
*swish*
The spear went cutting through the air as it struck the death worm in its torso. The wooden pole broke off as the beast squirmed to hunt its prey amongst the humans but the stone head still kept itself struch in its body.
*Swish*
Klautz threw another.
*Swish*
Then another. Nothing could make him stop. The spears being crudely made had not all of them hit. Some got drifted in the wrong direction because of their bent poles even though Klautz's aim was more or less perfect. While some other spears bounced off due to Klautz inability to carve the spear head into sharper form. But Klautz didn't care, as long as some of them connected it would be enough for him.
The beast slowed down due to the poison and so did its hunters due to the exhaustion. But alas, the poison was not enough to be fatal to the beast. It needed a finishing blow
It was then…
"Screeh!" The death worm roared a high pitched call.
Some of them covered their ears as they were not able to bear the screams.
*Crack* *Crack*
The ground cracked open, the concrete floor burst forth as several worm heads sprung forth from it. They were smaller in size about the size of an adult man but had more or less the same structure as the death worm.
"What the fuck!"
"More worms?"
*Scream*
The poor hearts screamed in fright. But Klautz could only smirk in delight as he shot one more of his spears.
*Swish*
"It is dying, it is close to its end," Klautz whispered as he surveyed the beast with a pleased look.
He knew from his past experiences what that call meant. It was a dying call, the death worm was breathing the last few of its breaths. Those small worms were annoying for sure but they were not powerful enough. At least they were not strong enough for the group to not be able to handle them.
But that was not the main issue, the main issue was fighting them without being hunted by the big death worm. And soon enough one of them got caught in the beast's jaws.
"Heelp!" he screamed as he tried his best to get out of the beast's grasp. Swinging his weapon at the beast's body several times but alas it was of no use.
Klautz who was about to throw another shot of his spear. He hadn't noticed the man before but his cry of help made him halt his motion. Without even him realizing his jaw had dropped low.
His pupils moved trying to find the source of that scream. Seeing him struck at the beast's mouth made Klautz recall some troublesome memories.
***
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