This better work…
This was his last thought as the armor began to shimmer, its glow replacing the dying ambient light. It was finally time to use the armor's exoskeleton ability.
He was certain it'd buy time, but he still had to act fast.
In a split second, he used the space created by the armor to wedge his sword in-between the monster's jaws, although while nearly barfing everywhere due to the nauseating breath. Fortunately, the beast didn't feel the now lodged weapon, and thus continued to viciously clamp down until blood was drawn, prompting the erupting geyser of blood to paint the entire cavity.
Please…
When the excruciating pain finally made its way to its brain, the reptilian let out a wild and savage roar, its black eyes turning crimson from rage.
It had never expected that a weak and pathetic human would try to make it yield, as centuries of dominance against them proved.
This couldn't be happening. At least certainly not on its watch.
In a barrage of erratic maneuvers, the creature then began to tumble and violently shake its head, making Derrick bounce around in its mouth, the scene almost comedic.
But for the necromancer, it was all but.
While being thrown around like a rag doll, he still had to do his best to avoid the poisonous tongue since he didn't have the antidote, meaning a single scratch could prove fatal.
Luckily, the sword's damage had caused the monster to open its mouth ever so slightly, leaving a tiny gap in-between its razor-sharp teeth.
This is it!
After crashing and failing a few times, he finally landed on the exact spot he wanted, which he exploited by madly lunging forward, transforming into a human missile.
On his way out, he again did the best he could to avoid the poisonous tongue while grabbing back his sword, which was followed by a feral barrage in all directions, further injuring the creature's mouth.
This instantly caused the beast to let out another ear-piercing shriek, its mouth opening a bit wider and allowing him to cleanly slip through and subsequently tumble on the ground, his state a complete mess.
He had large bruises, fresh cuts, and the beast's saliva streaming down his body, not to mention the foul smell accompanying it all.
His armor fell apart shortly after, its remains shattering unceremoniously.
[WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!]
[You have been mildly poisoned! If the Host is poisoned any further, his body will not be able to cleanse itself, resulting in death!]
[Your stats are temporarily decreased!]
What the fuck?!
The prompt was loud and flashed in Derrick's mind like fireworks.
Tsk… I wasn't even able to avoid it while being this careful, eh…
He had to finish this, and fast.
Meanwhile, the creature kept crazily howling while shaking its head, its black blood flying grotesquely everywhere.
After a few seconds of what could only be agonizing pain, its gaze finally came back onto him, and he immediately felt an extreme pressure that nearly made him buckle to his knees. The amount of hatred behind those crimson eyes was simply staggering. He had pissed it off real good this time.
But...
''HAHAHAHA… You ugly reptile! You thought you could kill me, your father?! YOU'RE TOO WEAK, BITCH!!!''
His laughter and insult tore through the gravity of the situation like an unaware jester on the verge of execution, although by design. You see, in the months leading up to this fight, Derrick had learned that improvisation was key, with his favorite flavor being cheap provocations since they usually created opportunities out of thin air.
Let's see if there's any intelligence behind those seething eyes…
Clearly, the monster hadn't understood a word of what he'd just said, but it definitely grasped his body language. It had been injured by that weak bug, which was now taunting it?!
Unforgivable!
It didn't wait another second before blindly charging with all its might, causing the ground to wildly shake under its weight while Derricks' eyes excitedly shone, its weak points finally exposed.
It's been a good one, but I've had enough.
Barely an instant went by before they were face to face, with the monster opting to clumsily ram him due to its injuries.
Still, this was more than enough to kill him, and without armor, Derrick couldn't fail his next move, or his body would turn into a fine mist.
Not now... Not now... NOW!
At the very last moment, he dove and slid underneath the monster while narrowly avoiding the wall of scales, his sword then raised and jammed through the soft belly unfurling above. Their momentum was such that both parties continued until they were 50 meters apart, a silence now reigning between them.
The Komodoensis had stopped moving, and so had Derrick. Dark blood dripped from his sword, slowly forming a small puddle on the ground.
*SPLASH*
The entrails of the beast suddenly left its body, brought down by gravity.
Luckily for Derrick, the massive incision had been deep enough.
The beast still refused to collapse for a few seconds as its hatred fueled its last few breaths.
It had Derrick's admiration, as that sort of resolve was rare.
After a low and miserable howl, it finally collapsed in a loud thump. He had won, but there was no time to celebrate. He had to quickly address the poison in his body, or he would suffer consequences that might be permanent.
The necromancer ran to the corpse and heard an announcement.
[Would you like to make a
He was delighted beyond belief. He had hoped to upgrade his
''Yes.''
The ground started rumbling, and dark plasma started seeping out, rapidly gathering together.
The air got heavier and heavier, almost to the point of making it unbearable. The process was clearly different from Io's, and Derrick became cautious.
Low howls and cries could also be heard, sending ice through his veins.
The dark plasma then turned into a sort of black goo, and it started floating in the air whilst forming the new body.
Everything could be seen being 'built', from the cells to the bones to the organs. He had to say it was quite the gruesome sight.
When it ended, the new Viper Varanus Komodoensis was 10% bigger than its past self, and its previously black eyes were shining like rubies. Its shadowy figure was as beautiful as it was terrifying.
Derrick had a feeling that it would be an invaluable partner in the future.
That was until the red eyes suddenly turned to Derrick.
''I never thought you could kill me, Human!''
When he heard the voice, his heartbeat skipped, and he darted backwards, brandishing his sword forward once more.
The fear he felt was simply indescribable. How could it talk?!
''Who are you?! Explain yourself!!!''