Chapter 220: War of Attrition

Chapter 220: Chapter 220: War of Attrition

’I’ll chop off your "hands" too! Let’s see what you can do then!’

The longsword slashed horizontally, whistling through the air.

SQUELCH!

Viscous liquid splattered everywhere.

Several tentacles were severed at the root. They fell to the ground, writhing frantically like fish out of water.

The Mimic Corpse let out a shrill screech. Its remaining tentacles lashed out even more ferociously, the assault several times more intense than before!

Seraphina Sinclair had anticipated this. Having landed a successful strike, she didn’t press her luck. As agile as a cat, she retreated swiftly back into the bathroom.

"Hah... hah..."

Leaning against the cool tiled wall, Seraphina Sinclair panted softly, quickly calming her racing heart and ragged breaths.

’The strategy is working!’

’This monster’s defense is astounding, and its strength is formidable.’

’But it can be wounded, it can be enraged, it can be distracted...’

’These are all openings!’

’A war of attrition!’

A war of attrition was what Seraphina Sinclair excelled at! She had plenty of time, plenty of patience, and countless opportunities to disengage from the fight at a moment’s notice!

Her strategy was to sever all the tentacles from the monster’s body. Without its means of attack, its high defense would be useless!

Seraphina Sinclair glanced at her feet. Lucky had learned its lesson this time and had retreated with her. It was currently rubbing its head against her pant leg, letting out a low whine that seemed to be both asking for praise and expressing concern.

"Good job," Seraphina Sinclair praised it, a rare occurrence. She ruffled the fur on its small, frazzled head. "Keep it up."

After a brief rest to recover her stamina, Seraphina Sinclair took a deep breath and stepped back into the mobile cabin.

The battle resumed!

And so the cycle repeated.

Like the most patient of hunters, Seraphina Sinclair attacked and probed, time and time again.

She used the bathroom as an absolutely safe fortress. She used Lucky’s aura bursts and the Fire Drawing Runes to create momentary distractions. She used her own agile movements and sharp longsword to continuously inflict more wounds on the Mimic Corpse.

She severed tentacles and sliced into the writhing flesh. Though none were fatal blows, the viscous, disgusting liquid now coated nearly the entire small area by the cabin’s entrance.

The Mimic Corpse’s screeches, sharp at first, gradually grew hoarse and frantic. Its movements also seemed to have become a fraction slower due to its sustained injuries.

Seraphina Sinclair’s focus was absolute. Her clothes were soaked with sweat, and the hand gripping her sword hilt trembled slightly from the repeated strikes and evasions, but her eyes only grew brighter.

She could feel the scales of victory tipping in her favor.

Emerging from the bathroom once more, Seraphina Sinclair didn’t attack immediately.

She stared at the pinkish mass of flesh. Its writhing and reforming seemed to have slowed due to the constant injuries. Her gaze finally settled on its center, on an area that appeared darker and writhed more violently than the rest.

’Could that be its energy core?’

’Or some kind of command center, like a brain?’

’It’s worth a try!’

"Lucky!" Seraphina Sinclair barked.

The little creature understood instantly. Though exhausted, it mustered its remaining strength. The blood-eye on its belly flew wide open as it unleashed the most ferocious roar it could manage!

The Mimic Corpse’s movements froze for an instant.

’Now!’

Seraphina Sinclair tore two more Fire Drawing Runes, aiming them straight at the Mimic Corpse’s front!

BOOM!

The flames exploded, and the intense light and heat temporarily overwhelmed the monster’s Perception.

At the same time, Seraphina Sinclair moved!

She poured all her remaining strength into her legs. Her figure shot forward like a bolt of lightning. No more flanking maneuvers—this time she charged straight ahead, resolutely, for the center of the fleshy mass! Her longsword was held straight for a thrust, aimed directly at that darker area!

This time, the sensation from the tip of her blade was completely different.

It wasn’t the slick, tough resistance from before. Instead, it felt like she had pierced some kind of resilient membrane and then plunged into an even more viscous substance!

"SKREEE!!!"

The Mimic Corpse let out its most bloodcurdling shriek since the battle began, one sharp enough to pierce eardrums.

The entire mass of flesh began to convulse violently. Its few remaining tentacles flailed wildly as if they had lost control, lashing the surrounding floor and walls until wood splinters flew!

Seraphina Sinclair gripped the hilt tightly, using every ounce of her strength to shove the longsword in deeper, even giving it a vicious twist!

SPLAT!

A dark red, viscous liquid gushed from the wound, drenching Seraphina Sinclair.

The Mimic Corpse’s convulsions gradually weakened. Its flailing tentacles drooped lifelessly, and the nauseating writhing finally stopped.

A moment later, it collapsed to the floor like a true pile of sludge, then dissipated into motes of light.

Apart from the scars of battle, all that remained on the floor was a pool of slime and a D-level Supply Box.

Seraphina Sinclair used her longsword to prop herself up, struggling to stand. The battle had taken a huge toll on her as well.

But this clearly wasn’t the time to rest. She wrapped her hand in something at random, then scooped up the slime to feed the Sunflower.

The Sunflower seemed to have smelled an exquisite delicacy. Its flower head dipped slightly, and its leaves trembled gently. The moment the slime touched the surface of its head, it was absorbed as quickly as a drop of water into a sponge.

At the same time, the Sunflower’s voice echoed in Seraphina Sinclair’s mind: ’So fragrant... so fragrant... I like the little person... so yummy...’

Seraphina Sinclair couldn’t be bothered to respond.

All this thing did nowadays was eat and sleep. If Seraphina Sinclair didn’t give it sun every day, it wouldn’t even produce sunshine anymore.

It was no help at all. When things got critical, she and Lucky were the ones who had to fight for their lives.

She slapped the Sunflower’s stem irritably. "Once you’re full, hurry up and evolve, you hear?"

The Sunflower seemed to understand, its massive flower head bobbing in satisfaction.

Seraphina Sinclair opened her panel to check the Growth Rate: 990/1000.

A D-level monster had added 50 points to the Growth Rate, but it was still 10 points short.

Seraphina Sinclair took a deep breath and checked the time. Right on cue, the final wave of black fog for the one hundred sunshine was about to pour in.

This time, a real Rotting Corpse appeared.

’F-level. Perfect!’

Seraphina Sinclair’s spirits lifted. Just as she was about to step forward, Lucky, at her feet, shot out first!

The little guy seemed to be venting all its pent-up frustration from the fight with the D-level monster on this Rotting Corpse. Although the blood-eye on its belly wasn’t fully open, a faint aura was already emanating from it. Its four little paws scrambled furiously as it pounced viciously on the Rotting Corpse.

The Rotting Corpse sluggishly reached out to grab Lucky, but Lucky ducked nimbly to evade it and seized the opportunity to bite down on the corpse’s shin bone!

"CRACK!"

A cringe-inducing crack echoed out.

Lucky’s bite force was far greater than its size would suggest!

The Rotting Corpse’s leg bone snapped. It staggered, lost its balance, and pitched forward.

Seeing her chance, Seraphina Sinclair didn’t hesitate. She flashed forward, her longsword plunging precisely into the back of the Rotting Corpse’s head!

The Rotting Corpse’s struggles ceased instantly as it dissolved into black smoke. A Supply Box and slime appeared simultaneously, but Seraphina Sinclair didn’t even glance at the box.

All the slime from before couldn’t compare to the importance of this last bit!